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Civil case against former Sinn Féin leader begins
A London court has opened a civil lawsuit brought by three victims of IRA bombings, who accuse Gerry Adams of personal responsibility for attacks in 1973 and 1996. The case, heard by Mr Justice Swift at the Royal Courts of Justice, is scheduled to last seven days.
Victims seek symbolic damages
The claimants-John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh, and Barry Laycock-are pursuing nominal damages of £1 for what they describe as "vindicatory purposes." Clark was injured in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing, while Ganesh and Laycock suffered harm in the 1996 Docklands and Manchester Arndale attacks.
The bombings marked the first and last IRA operations in Britain during The Troubles. The 1973 Old Bailey explosion, transported from Belfast to Liverpool by car ferry, injured over 200 people. The 1996 Docklands bomb killed two and wounded many, followed months later by the Manchester blast, which injured more than 200 and was the most powerful in Britain since World War II.
Adams denies involvement, prepares defense
Adams, 77, has consistently denied any connection to the IRA, stating he had "no direct or indirect" role in the attacks. In a column for the Andersonstown News last month, he criticized the case as relying on "unsubstantiated hearsay" from witnesses who assume his senior republican status equates to responsibility.
His legal team will call him to testify next week. The case marks the first time Adams will face cross-examination in an English court regarding his alleged IRA leadership.
Evidence and legal context
The victims' legal team plans to present testimony from former IRA members, retired police officers, and soldiers. Two anonymous witnesses will give evidence behind screens.
The lawsuit was filed in 2022, just before the Legacy Act barred new civil claims related to The Troubles, though the legislation is now under review. The claimants raised over £100,000 through crowdfunding, framing the case as a fight for all IRA victims.
Adams, who cannot recover legal costs even if he wins, has faced prior scrutiny over his alleged IRA ties. Charges of IRA membership against him in 1978 were dropped, and his convictions for prison escape attempts in the 1970s were later overturned. He has previously testified in Belfast and Dublin about his past.
What happens next
Mr Justice Swift will determine liability based on the "balance of probabilities," a lower threshold than criminal cases. A ruling is expected after closing arguments conclude later this week.
