Menu
Ireland's political and cultural magazine
October 2016 1 9
POLITICS
Gerry Adams didn’t order
spy’s murder, and 'Spotlight'’s
agent didn’t even say he did
by Anton McCabe
T
he news that serial non-litigator Gerry
Adams is to sue over allegations he
sanctioned the murder of IRA informer
Denis Donaldson, cannot surprise.
Contrary to what has become the
received wisdom, the former security force agent
in the IRA did not tell BBC Northern Ireland’s
‘Spotlight’ programme on September 20th that
Gerry Adams sanctioned the killing of Denis Don-
aldson in 2006. His allegation was much more
tentative.
Despite this, media outlets have run with the
allegation that the decision to carry out the kill
-
ing was agreed by Adams, and that the IRA
carried it out. An example is the Irish Independ-
ent headline: ‘Gerry Adams sanctioned the
killing of British spy, claims former IRA man’.
This is based on a section of the programme,
where reporter Jennifer O’Leary is interviewing
‘Martin’, a former IRA man and police agent. A
transcript reads:
Jennifer O’Leary: “Martin also said he told his
Special Branch handlers what he had learned
about the murder”.
Martin: “Not too long after Denis was mur-
dered I was told by a member of the IRA, an active
member of the IRA, that the IRA had killed Denis,
and not anybody else. I gave that information to
the Special Branch.”.
Jennifer O’Leary: “What was your handlers’
reaction to that information?”.
Martin: “They were just totally mute. There
wasn’t any acknowledgement of what I’d said.
The subject was changed to something else”.
Jennifer O’Leary: “Are you surprised?”.
Martin: “No. I think they knew themselves. You
see I just think you know they and the whole
status quo had seen Denis’ death as internal
housekeeping and they were happy enough to
put up with it. I believe they acted on some infor-
mation and didn’t act on other information
because it was too politically sensitive to do so”.
Jennifer O’Leary: “Martin believes that the
shooting of Denis Donaldson was sanctioned by
the man at the top of the Republican movement,
Gerry Adams. Spotlight understands that by
2006 Gerry Adams had stepped aside from the
IRA Army Council but Martin claims that Adams
was consulted on all matters”.
Martin: “I know from my experience in the IRA
that murders have to be approved by the leader
-
ship and they have to be given approval by the
leadership of the IRA, the political leadership of
the IRA and the military leadership of the IRA”.
Jennifer O’Leary: “Who are you specifically
referring to?”.
Martin: “Gerry Adams. He gives the
final say”.
Note: there is nothing indicat-
ing this IRA man had first-hand
knowledge of Adams’
approving the killing.
Note also: the final line is
“He gives the final say”. Not
“He gave the final say”.
What we may call the
alleged allegation runs contrary
to the Real IRA’s claim of responsi-
bility for the murder in 2009. After the
programme, a former Real IRA army council
member spoke to journalist Suzanne Breen of
the Belfast Telegraph, and reiterated the claim.
Breen is a trenchant critic of Adams and the
mainstream IRA, so the claim must be taken
seriously.
Unfortunately, Donaldson was cavalier about
his own safety. Some time after he was
unmasked in 2005, he went to a cottage in
Donegal that had been a safe house for the INLA
and IRA for years. It was secluded, so killers
could stake it out if necessary. It was near a main
road, in an area with a lot of holiday homes, so
escape was easy and strangers didn’t stand out.
Donaldson had been an informer since at least
the mid-1980s. Two groups had particular
grudges: families and friends of those killed as
alleged informers, people not as well-connected
as Donaldson; and families and friends of those
IRA members killed or imprisoned because he
may have betrayed them.
Crucially, the IRA did not need to kill him. He
no longer had their protection, and there were
plenty of others willing to do it. The killing was
similar to that of Dungannon taxi driver Barney
McDonald in 2002. In both cases a shotgun was
used, making forensics difficult.
The current story took off
because there is a media obses-
sion with Adams, who is a
safety-valve for Sinn Féin’s
opponents in politics and
the media. It must be said
that he has left himself open
by seeming ridiculous with
his denials of IRA
membership.
Martin McGuinness receives
nothing like the same treatment,
despite his admitting having held high
rank in the IRA. As Deputy First Minister, McGuin-
ness is central to the political process in the
North. The DUP perceive him as a ‘moderniser’
in Sinn Féin. So a media campaign against him
might damage the political process.
The episode of 'Spotlight' is available on the
BBC I-player until October 19th. The relevant
section can be watched beginning at 51 minutes
Crucially, the
IRA did not need to
kill Donaldson. There
were plenty of others
willing to do it
Adamned
if he does,
adamned if
he doesn’t
One of these men is not like the others
