‘Inconceivable’ Gerry Adams was not involved in IRA bombings, claims former British army commander
A former British army commander has told the high court it is “inconceivable” that Gerry Adams was not involved in the authorisation of IRA bombings.Richard Kemp said there was evidence from “a multitude of intelligence” spanning 20 years about the former Sinn Féin leader’s membership of the paramilitary organisation.He was giving evidence on Wednesday in the civil claim brought by three victims of IRA bombings, who are suing Adams for symbolic damages of £1 each, alleging that he was a member of the IRA and, for a period, sat on its army council.In his written witness statement, Kemp said: “In respect of the PIRA [provisional IRA] bomb attacks carried out in England that I understand these proceedings relate to (being the Old Bailey bomb in 1973 and the Docklands and Manchester bombings in 1996), they would have all required signoff from the army council.“This very high-profile activity simply could not have been carried out without the council’s knowledge and approval.
It is inconceivable, in my view and based on my knowledge of the PIRA and the intelligence I had access to, that Adams would not have been involved in this process and its ultimate authorisation.”Kemp, who later served as commander of British forces in Afghanistan, did seven tours of Northern Ireland between 1979 and 2001, although was only directly involved in military intelligence in the country from 1992 to 1994.Under cross-examination by James Robottom, representing Adams, Kemp acknowledged that he had no direct evidence about the former Sinn Féin leader’s role in the bombings and that he could not be sure that the intelligence he claimed to have seen did not come from Adams’s political enemies.He also accepted Robottom’s contention that intelligence could be “wrong and unreliable”.But Kemp added: “I saw intelligence and was briefed on intelligence for a period of around 20 years, which made it clear that Mr Adams was in the IRA.
I think it is inconceivable that intelligence that was not correct would have been reported over that period of time.”Kemp has written extensively for his own website, as well as the Telegraph, and Robottom said to him: “You’ve never written previously about Gerry Adams [being a member of the IRA] … but have very strongly expressed opinions about Sinn Féin and the peace process.”Kemp said he could not remember whether he had written about Adams.He described Sinn Féin and the IRA as “two sides of the same organisation” and accepted that he had been “very critical” of both criminal investigations into – and civil claims brought against – British soldiers in relation to the Troubles.Robottom also asked Kemp about his use of the word “taigs”, a derogatory term for Catholics, in a 2017 tweet.
Kemp, who is Catholic, said that he had been called a taig by fellow soldiers in Northern Ireland, had not realised it was an insult and had never used it again since being criticised for the tweet.The trial continues.
‘Wherefore art thou?’: France look to restore identity with outing to Romeo and Juliet
A night at the opera may not be to every Frenchman’s taste these days, but for Fabien Galthié the outing will have been an integral part of his team’s Six Nations finale preparations.Two evenings out from their clash against England, Les Bleus were set to leave their training camp to watch rehearsals for a performance of the ballet Romeo and Juliet at the Opéra Garnier in central Paris. “It’s important for us to take a step back,” the head coach explained. “We’re going to be meeting the lead dancers, watching them at work, speaking to them, and experiencing that legendary venue.”Galthié also highlighted the need for a change of scenery after seven weeks holed up in the sleepy village of Marcoussis
Pakistan’s Abrar signed by IPL-linked team at Hundred men’s auction – as it happened
I think we’ll wrap things up there. James Coles hasn’t played for England yet but he’s 21, bowls left-arm tweakers and has eight first-class tons. That promise has resulted in a £390,000 deal with London Spirit, the most expensive of the auction. But the most noteworthy signing remains that of Abrar Ahmed – the Pakistan spinner was picked up by SunRisers Leeds, an IPL-affiliated team, for £190,000. Is the world healing? Probably not, but it’s something
Cheltenham festival day three: Home By the Lee and Heart Wood win big races – as it happened
I’ll leave you with Greg Wood’s report on a day packed with surprise winners, absent favourites, tetchy trainers and topped off with an awkward handshake. Join us again tomorrow. Bye!It’s never too early to start prepping for Gold Cup day. I’ll be back to guide you through another day of drama.Cheltenham 5
Cheltenham jockeys in alleged racism row bid to bury hatchet but inquiry continues
Declan Queally and Nico de Boinville appeared to resolve their differences on Thursday after an angry and controversial exchange of words before the start of the first race on Wednesday.Queally lodged a complaint with the stewards that he had received verbal abuse from De Boinville, some of which was of a racial nature, when he lined up against the running rail shortly before the field was due to set off for the Grade One contest.The two riders shook hands in the weighing room at Cheltenham, however, and told ITV Racing afterwards that their issues have been resolved.“All sorted, it was the heat of the moment and all is forgiven,” Queally said. “Best of luck to Nico in the future
Snow joke: Winter Paralympics athletes angry at scheduling as big thaw hits
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the thaw is on. With daytime temperatures reaching double figures in celsius, snow is disappearing from the hillsides and the “torrenti” of ice melt have started to flow once again.Traditionally a time of year when snowfall can be at its heaviest, there has been none since the Winter Paralympics began. The Games have not been insulated from the consequences.Last weekend the course at the Cortina snowboard park, about 1,450m above sea level, had to be redesigned the night before competition because it had proved too dangerous in training due to snow melting then refreezing overnight as ice
Harry Redknapp dares to dream of Gold Cup glory with The Jukebox Man
Harry Redknapp was in a reflective mood after watching Taurus Bay, his first runner at this year’s meeting, finish among the also-rans in Wednesday’s Turners Novices’ Hurdle. It was a decent performance – Taurus Bay was a 33-1 shot, after all – but it was the disappointing run by the favourite, No Drama This End, that was on Redknapp’s mind as he looked forward to his second runner on Friday: The Jukebox Man, one of the favourites for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.“It’s scary, isn’t it?” Redknapp said. “Max McNeill [the owner of No Drama this End], he’s the most lovely man, he had the favourite there and I know how he’s been. I saw him before the race, all the expectations, and he ends up tailed off
Sussex therapist who claimed he could heal trauma with sex jailed for 11 years
Life with my autistic sons: ‘How do you explain all the worries, the sleepless nights?’
Proposed law change will protect abusive men who push women to suicide, campaigners warn
Women receiving worse treatment for back and neck pain – UK study
For many of us, the Covid pandemic still isn’t over | Brief letters
UK companies struggling to hire young people amid cost pressures, MPs told