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The murder of our mother did not "just happen" - Jean McConville's son

“Gerry Adams says these things happen in wars in which case this is a war crime and those responsible should be brought to justice.”

MICHAEL MCCONVILLE – the son of  Jean McConville, who was ‘disappeared’ and murdered by the IRA – has issued a statement responding to Gerry Adams’ interview with US broadcaster CBS.

As part of the interview with presenter Scott Pelley, the Sinn Féin leader repeated that he hadn’t known about the mother-of-ten’s disappearance in 1972.

“The disappearance of Jean McConville was a surprise to you?” Pelly asked.

“I didn’t know. Yes, absolutely.”

The presenter then asked “How do you orphan 10 children? What kind of depravity is that?”

To which Adams responded:

“That’s what happens in war, Scott. That’s not to minimise it. That’s what American soldiers do, British soldiers do, Irish Republican soldiers do. That’s what happens in every single conflict.”

In a strongly-worded statement, released via the WAVE Trauma Centre, Michael McConville said:

“The murder of our mother did not just happen.

“It was ordered and planned.

“No one should ever forget that or be allowed to pretend otherwise.

Gerry Adams says these things happen in wars in which case this is a war crime and those responsible should be brought to justice.

Michael McConville was 11 years old when his mother was abducted from their home in the Divis area of Belfast. It’s believed the 38-year-old was held at a number of houses before being shot by the IRA.

Her body was found at a beach in Co Louth more than three decades later, in 2003.

Gerry Adams was arrested and questioned for several days by PSNI officers investigating the killing, in May of last year.

The CBS interview will be broadcast in full tomorrow

Read: Gerry Adams tells US television: ‘I never pulled a trigger, ordered a murder or set off a bomb’

Hillary: Bill granting Gerry Adams a visa helped lead to peace in Ireland

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    Mute Dave
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    Feb 4th 2023, 8:41 AM

    well thats the bank holiday ruined

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    Mute Dave Ryan
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    Feb 4th 2023, 11:52 AM

    I love the journal…..ya cant comment on half the stuff on it anymore….but ya can leave a comment on a live criminal investigation that will end up in court…..it really is as amateur as a school magazine….is it any wonder half the criminals in the country walk out of court on a mistrial or a point of law …

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    Feb 4th 2023, 1:42 PM

    @Dave Ryan: You can’t comment when person(s) been charged. Only arrests made in this case.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 4th 2023, 8:56 AM

    See more people than ever huddled in a scrum of crack smoking on Thomas st. at 8:30 in the morning.

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    Mute Thomas Claffey
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    Feb 4th 2023, 10:48 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: they where only having the craic

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    Mute Eamonn O'Hanrahan
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    Feb 4th 2023, 9:23 AM

    If they legalized they could regulate it and put the black market out of business.

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    Feb 4th 2023, 4:27 PM

    @Eamonn O’Hanrahan: Black Market creates employment. Never happen.

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    Mute Eamonn Tierney
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    Feb 4th 2023, 12:07 PM

    OMG CASTLEKNOCK

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    Feb 4th 2023, 10:33 PM

    It’s very surprising that this kind of carry on would happen in a nice area. I’m beginning to think that people who would like to make money, purely out of greed, would concentrate on other more less desirable areas

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