Irish party leaders attack Adams over IRA links

LONDON

Irish republican leader Gerry Adams has been criticized by political opponents during a televised debate as the country sees an upsurge in gang violence two weeks before a general election.

The leaders of Ireland’s four largest parties used the first television debate of the campaign to attack Adams, whose opposition Sinn Fein party is predicted to make significant gains in the Feb. 26 contest.

Sinn Fein has pledged to abolish Ireland’s juryless Special Criminal Court system, where a panel of three judges hears cases connected to terrorism and serious organized crime.

Two men, suspected of having had involvement in rival gangs, have been killed in separate Dublin shooting incidents over the past week.

Micheal Martin, leader of the main opposition Fianna Fail party, told Adams during the TV3 debate that it was the “height of hypocrisy for you to parade yourself as a civil libertarian” given Sinn Fein’s relationship with the IRA, which has been accused of abducting and killing political opponents.

Adams said: “Jurors and witnesses should not be intimidated but those who are accused – if it was you tomorrow, you would expect to be tried by a jury of your peers.

“And other states have dealt with bigger problems than us, they have anonymous juries, they use the modern telecommunications systems, they put people in different rooms.”

But Joan Burton of the Labour Party, the junior partner in Ireland’s governing coalition, said rumored Sinn Fein plans for a witness protection program would mean ordinary citizens ending up in Canada with their names changed after sitting on a jury at their local court.

“I don't know what planet Gerry is living on,” Burton said.

Opinion polls suggest Taoiseach [prime minister] Enda Kenny’s centrist Fine Gael party is likely to win the forthcoming election, but will not take enough seats to govern alone.

Burton is hoping to be returned to coalition with Kenny, but polls suggest Labour is likely to suffer heavy losses, with Burton’s own Dublin seat thought to be at risk.