Adams goes on the offensive

Enemies of Sinn Féin have manipulated the Robert McCartney murder and Northern Bank raid to halt the party’s advancement, Gerry Adams claimed today.

With the republican movement in crisis over claims that IRA gangs killed the Belfast father of two and carried out the £26.5m (€38.5m) robbery, the SF President went on the offensive.

He said: “Our opponents are exploiting both the tragic death of Robert McCartney and accusations round bank heists.

“Sinn Féin wasn’t involved in the bank heist. Sinn Féin is not involved in criminality.”

Mr McCartney’s five sisters attended the party’s annual conference in Dublin yesterday where Mr Adams demanded those involved in stabbing admit their guilt in a court of law.

The Sinn Féin chief, who has suspended seven party members over the January 30 pub brawl killing, accepted their claims that witnesses have been frightened into silence.

Blaming the attack on alcohol-fuelled machoism, he called for a halt to the intimidation.

The West Belfast MP said: “People who have information come forward, come and admit it. Be men, come forward and redeem yourselves.”

Mr Adams claimed his party’s electoral gains had caused its rivals to use allegations of criminality.

“If Sinn Féin wasn’t being so successful there wouldn’t be the ganging up that’s going on,” he told BBC’s Breakfast with Frost.

“The other parties feel threatened… because of the growth of Sinn Féin.

“Our party is now the third-largest party on the island.”