Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday wearing what appeared to be a bulletproof vest beneath his clothing.
Mr Adams was driven directly into the car park as he faced the opening of civil proceedings brought by three individuals.
The trio, all injured in Provisional IRA attacks during the 1970s and 1990s, are pursuing legal action against Mr Adams for symbolic damages of just £1.
The claimants allege he held a leading position within the organisation during the period when the bombings occurred. Mr Adams, who is contesting the claims, has denied being in the IRA and said he had “no direct or indirect” involvement in the explosions.
The case centres on attacks carried out on the British mainland across two decades.
The legal action involves John Clark, who sustained injuries in the 1973 Old Bailey attack in the capital.
The two other claimants are Jonathan Ganesh, injured when a device exploded at London Docklands in 1996, and Barry Laycock, who suffered harm during the bombing at Manchester’s Arndale shopping centre the same year.
All three men contend Mr Adams held senior positions within the Provisional IRA when these attacks took place.
Gerry Adams arrived in what appeared to be a bulletproof vest
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They specifically claim he sat on the organisation’s Army Council, its highest decision-making body comprised of seven members.
The High Court proceedings in London heard submissions the claimants wish to demonstrate Mr Adams’s involvement in the Provisional IRA during the conflict.
They aim to establish, to the required civil standard of proof, that his participation matched that of those who physically planted and detonated the explosive devices.
Anne Studd KC, representing the claimants, opened proceedings on Monday by asserting Mr Adams bore direct responsibility and was complicit in the organisation’s decisions to carry out mainland bombings during 1973 and 1996.
She outlined how the prosecution would assemble what she described as a “jigsaw” of testimony from individuals who had personal knowledge of the defendant and those familiar with his activities.
The barrister addressed Mr Adams’s careful differentiation between membership of what he calls “the Army” and his role in Sinn Fein.
“In reality, the evidence will demonstrate that this was not the clear either/or choice as the defendant would have you believe,” Ms Studd said in written submissions.
The former Sinn Fein president has denied any involvement with the IRA
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“For many individuals, we say, including Mr Adams, that was a distinction without a difference.”
Ms Studd told the court: “The claimants’ case is that none of these bombings in the United Kingdom mainland took place without the knowledge and agreement of the defendant in his role in the Provisional IRA and latterly as a member of the seven-man Army Council.”
She concluded: “There is no doubt that the defendant contributed to the peace in Northern Ireland, but the claimants say that on the evidence he also contributed to the war.”
Edward Craven KC, acting for the defence, challenged both the factual basis of the allegations and the claimants’ ability to bring proceedings decades after limitation periods expired.
His written submissions emphasised that no legal or practical obstacle prevented the claims from being filed well before 2022.
The defence maintained that even if timing issues could be overcome, the case would fail on its substantive merits.
“The defendant strenuously denies any involvement in the bombings,” Mr Craven stated.
He highlighted Mr Adams has never faced arrest, charges or conviction relating to any of the attacks in question.
Mr Craven argued that had authorities possessed credible information suggesting the defendant’s participation, he would have been detained and interviewed.
The defence also underscored Mr Adams’s contribution to the peace process, which resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of April 1998 ending the prolonged conflict.
Mr Justice Swift is anticipated to conclude the trial next week.
