The last two weeks for Gerry Adams have been turbulent to say the least. The Sinn Féin leader was arrested by the PSNI for questioning to a murder that took place in 1972. The timing of the arrest may damage his political party with the run up to the local and European elections looming. Despite the arrest, Adams is adamant that his questioning from the PSNI is a politically motivated move by the police force and that he is an innocent man.
Adams spent four days being interrogated by the PSNI before being released back into the public and in time for a major Sinn Féin party rally in Dublin. Throughout the ordeal and since being released, the Sinn Féin leader has maintained his argument that he is innocent and came to Oxygen.ie for an interview to clear up some rumours that have been spread in the mainstream press. He told our offices that,
“I know that people think the worst of me because most of the villains you see in films have big bushy beards like mine. I’m here though to say that I have never taken part in a conspiracy to murder, it’s not in my nature. The only thing that I would murder is a cup of tea, something that I’m guilty of from time to time. I like to pour the hot water into the cup with the tea bag before adding the milk; those who do it the other way around have been too heavily influenced by Protestant culture.”
Adams has said he believes the recent brush with the law will not affect Sinn Féin’s chances in the local elections this month.