Gerry Adams tells court he used influence to move from war to peace

Gerry Adams has told a civil trial in London that he used his "influence" as a republican as best he could to move from war to peace, but insisted he had always told the "truth" about his role.

He is on the witness stand for a second day giving evidence at the High Court, which focuses on claims he was involved in major IRA bombing decisions.

Three men are seeking a ruling that he is personally liable for injuries they received in explosions in London and Manchester.

Adams, 77, has said he never held any role or rank in the IRA and has no involvement in the bombings.

On Wednesday, the former Sinn Féin leader rejected a claim that he had ever been a "major player" in the IRA.

The allegation was made by Brendan Hughes, who was with Adams in prison in the early 1970s and died in 2008. The words were said in a recorded interview that was played in court.

Hughes was a hunger striker and officer commanding of the IRA.

Sir Max Hill KC, barrister for the three claimants, asked Adams if he was "like a brother to him and he to you"?

Adams said the pair had been "very good friends".

When it was put to Adams that they were "fellow IRA operatives and IRA volunteers", the former Sinn Féin leader replied: "That is not true."

It was put to Adams by Sir Max that Hughes had spoken about Adams' alleged involvement in the organisation, referencing interviews cited in the book Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe.

"You're in denial about your role in the IRA to this day," said Sir Max.

Adams responded: "No, I tell the truth on that issue."

"I don't deny that I was a person of some interest, a republican of some influence and I used that influence as best I could to move from war to peace."

The trial is now in its seventh day and is being heard by Mr Justice Swift.

The action was brought by John Clark, a victim of the Old Bailey bomb in 1973, and Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who were hurt in the 1996 attacks in London's Docklands and at Manchester's Arndale Shopping Centre respectively.

They are seeking £1 each in "vindicatory" damages.

Adams' lawyers have argued the case is based on "an assortment of hearsay" and that it has been brought several decades too late.

They have said the action should be subject to the three-year limitation period set out in legislation passed in 1980.

Following evidence from 11 witnesses for the claimants, Adams took the stand on Tuesday and will be the only witness in his defence.

As a result of a pre-trial ruling, Adams is unable to recover his legal costs from the claimants, believed to be six figures, should he successfully defend the action.

Adams was once charged with IRA membership in 1978, but the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence.

His only Troubles-era convictions, for twice attempting to escape prison while interned without trial in the mid-1970s, were quashed in 2020.

He has been questioned in court before about his alleged IRA past - at the Ballymurphy inquest in Belfast in 2019 and during a libel case against the BBC in Dublin in 2025.

Later, Adams was asked how it was possible that he had not been a member of the IRA when other senior Sinn Féin politicians had previously admitted to being in the organisation, including the late Martin McGuinness and North Belfast assembly member (MLA) Gerry Kelly.

"It is not a contradiction to say senior politicians were also involved in the activities of the IRA," said Hill.

Adams replied that he had made it clear repeatedly that he was not in the IRA.

Hill suggested that Adams was "not unique" but "like everybody else - you've been in both" Sinn Féin and the IRA.

"That's not true," responded the former Sinn Féin leader.

Adams was also questioned about the emergence of a letter from US President Bill Clinton in 1993, which stated that the president believed there was "credible evidence" at the time that Adams was involved in devising IRA strategy and should not be granted a visa to the US.

The former Sinn Féin leader dismissed the letter, saying the claims were not backed up and that he was at a later stage granted a visa to travel.

"We worked very closely together for years and until recently remained in contact," said Adams of his relationship with President Clinton.