Public Prosecution Service announces 'no charges' in McConville murder

THE Public Prosecution Service today has confirmed that, “following a careful consideration of all the available evidence, a decision has been taken not to prosecute seven individuals who were reported to the PPS by the PSNI in relation to the abduction and murder of Jean McConville”.

One of those seven is Gerry Adams. He described the decision not to prosecute him was “long overdue” and he explained why.

“There was never any real basis for questioning me in respect of this case. I played no act or part in Jean McConville’s death.

“I support the PSNI but the timing of my arrest showed there remain elements within the PSNI who are against Sinn Féin.” He said they will not succeed.

“I voluntarily went to the PSNI last year after a concerted series of leaks claiming that I was about to be arrested. For some time I have been the target of a sustained and malicious campaign seeking to involve me with the killing of Mrs McConville.

“These claims have also been seized upon and repeated by my political opponents, including the Taoiseach and the Fianna Fáil leader, to score political points against Sinn Féin and me.

“I want to encourage anyone with information to assist in the return of the bodies of those people killed and secretly buried by the IRA. I have worked with others towards this and I will continue to do so. I want to thank those who have come forward with such information.

“I am also very conscious of the huge hurt inflicted on the McConville family. The abduction, killing and secret burial of Jean McConville was wrong.

“Sinn Féin has agreed with others, through the Stormont House Agreement, processes for addressing the legacy of the past. We are committed to implementing them.

“All political leaders have a duty to deal with the issue of victims in a compassionate, effective and transparent fashion.

“Our focus must also be on building a better future and ensuring that there is no return to the past. That is the responsibility of all citizens as well as the political parties.”

The Sinn Féin leader said that the Irish and British governments have a particular obligation to fulfil their responsibilities to build the peace and to implement all decisions which fall within their remits.

“Unfortunately, they have not done so. There is an urgent imperative for them to correct this.

“Sinn Féin, for our part will continue to honour all our commitments arising from the Stormont House Agreement.”

Outlining the Public Prosecution Service's decision, Deputy Director Pamela Atchison said on Tuesday afternoon:

“We have given careful consideration to the evidence currently available in respect of each of the three men and four women reported and have concluded that it is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction against any of them for a criminal offence.

“The evidence against the seven individuals arose from a number of different sources and included, in respect of some of those individuals, hearsay evidence provided by the American authorities from the Boston College Belfast Project. In considering the evidence, PPS addressed a range of offences directly and indirectly connected with the murder of Jean McConville.”

She added that there has already been a decision to prosecute an eighth individual, Ivor Bell, who is currently before the courts, and that the PPS is liaising with the McConville family throughout.