This may be contentious, but why shouldn’t Gerry Adams have compensation for his wrongful conviction?
This Writer is among what may be a dwindling number of people who remember Mr Adams’s many appearances on TV news programmes during the 1970s and 80s, his words constantly overdubbed by those of an actor. I believe news editors changed their policies during the 1990s to allow him to speak for himself.
He was the spokesman for Sinn Fein, which was always described (at the time) as the political wing of the terrorist organisation known as the IRA – but he has always denied any association with the terrorists. Sinn Fein is a republican political party that currently holds the majority of seats in Stormont – the Northern Ireland devolved government.
Back in the 1970s, Mr Adams was interned without trial on suspicion of being a member of the IRA. He was subsequently prosecuted for two attempted escapes, for which he was sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment.
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In 2020 the Northern Ireland Supreme Court ruled that his internment had been unlawful. It therefore follows that his convictions for attempting to escape were also unlawful (he should not have been in prison, and should therefore not have been in a position where he might try to escape).
But Boris Johnson’s Legacy Act, which was an attempt to draw a line under the Troubles in Northern Ireland, blocks Mr Adams and around 400 other ex-internees from receiving compensation.
And UK prime minister Keir Starmer has said that while his Labour government will repeal the Legacy Act, which is almost universally opposed in Northern Ireland, he will examine “every conceivable way” to prevent Mr Adams from receiving compensation for his unlawful internment.
Why?
What, exactly, is Mr Adams’s crime, for which he deserved to be locked up and not receive compensation for it?
None, according to the Northern Ireland Supreme Court.
It isn’t a crime to represent a political party that has shown no apparent ties with terrorist activity, or to express opinions in line with that party’s policies.
Without any evidence of criminal activity by Mr Adams, this looks like nothing more than political persecution.
Of course, I stand ready to change my view, if evidence is presented to show that Mr Adams did indeed commit criminal offences.
Where is it?
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Why shouldn’t Gerry Adams have compensation for his wrongful conviction?
This may be contentious, but why shouldn’t Gerry Adams have compensation for his wrongful conviction?
This Writer is among what may be a dwindling number of people who remember Mr Adams’s many appearances on TV news programmes during the 1970s and 80s, his words constantly overdubbed by those of an actor. I believe news editors changed their policies during the 1990s to allow him to speak for himself.
He was the spokesman for Sinn Fein, which was always described (at the time) as the political wing of the terrorist organisation known as the IRA – but he has always denied any association with the terrorists. Sinn Fein is a republican political party that currently holds the majority of seats in Stormont – the Northern Ireland devolved government.
Back in the 1970s, Mr Adams was interned without trial on suspicion of being a member of the IRA. He was subsequently prosecuted for two attempted escapes, for which he was sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
In 2020 the Northern Ireland Supreme Court ruled that his internment had been unlawful. It therefore follows that his convictions for attempting to escape were also unlawful (he should not have been in prison, and should therefore not have been in a position where he might try to escape).
But Boris Johnson’s Legacy Act, which was an attempt to draw a line under the Troubles in Northern Ireland, blocks Mr Adams and around 400 other ex-internees from receiving compensation.
And UK prime minister Keir Starmer has said that while his Labour government will repeal the Legacy Act, which is almost universally opposed in Northern Ireland, he will examine “every conceivable way” to prevent Mr Adams from receiving compensation for his unlawful internment.
Why?
What, exactly, is Mr Adams’s crime, for which he deserved to be locked up and not receive compensation for it?
None, according to the Northern Ireland Supreme Court.
It isn’t a crime to represent a political party that has shown no apparent ties with terrorist activity, or to express opinions in line with that party’s policies.
Without any evidence of criminal activity by Mr Adams, this looks like nothing more than political persecution.
Of course, I stand ready to change my view, if evidence is presented to show that Mr Adams did indeed commit criminal offences.
Where is it?
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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