BBC barrister claims Gerry Adams didn't take action before because he was on IRA army council

Mr Adams had previously told the court he did not sue over allegations repeatedly made against him that he was in the IRA and sat on its army council because he was advised by his solicitors he would not get a fair hearing

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams (pictured) also said he had not written an article that stated: 'Rightly or wrongly, I am an IRA volunteer'. Photo: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie

A barrister has put to Gerry Adams in the High Court that he was a member of the IRA and sat on its army council, and that is the reason why he did not previously take legal action over such allegations.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens intervened before Mr Adams responded to the allegation, made by Paul Gallagher SC on the second week of a civil trial hearing into the Sinn Féin leader’s defamation action against the BBC.