Daughter of Jean McConville to take civil action

The widowed mother- of-10 was abducted from her home in West Belfast in December 1972 before being shot and killed by the IRA.

The lawyers representing MS McKendry, McCue and Partners, are known for the successful prosecution in civil proceedings of the Omagh Bombers that resulted in the award of £1.6 million (€2.22 million) to the families of their victims.

She added: “It was launched because a criminal case is not going to go anywhere so I feel all I can do is take a civil case”.

“They now wish to determine whether other judicial avenues are open to them to secure justice and accountability for Jean’s murder”. This has been going on for 43 years.

“So far there has only been one man in court over my mother’s murder and I am not happy with that”.

“I can’t fault the PPS and the PSNI, they can only do so much”.

Mrs McKendry said she is determined to get justice for her mother. But when people don’t speak and witnesses don’t come forward I am left with taking legal action myself.

“That is what I wanted them to take back after all those years when it was put out she had run away with a British soldier and had a family up the Shankill or that she was an informer”, she said.

The Belfast Project provided secret conversations by having participants in armed forces programs that often clashed while in the Irish Troubles, a clash between persons who could merge… “I want the truth and I want her name cleared for not just my sake but for my children and grandchildren”.

“I’ve said all along we are going to do this with a straight bat, we are going to go where the evidence takes us without fear or favour”, he said.

Mr Adams was arrested in relation to the case last May and interviewed for four days by police.

In civil cases the burden of proof is the balance of probabilities, which is lower than in the criminal court where prosecutors have to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

On his release from police custody, Mr Adams said there was a “sustained, malicious, untruthful campaign” over his alleged involvement in the murder.

Prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Adams or six others in connections with the killing.

Adams called the decision to drop the case “long overdue”, and said that he was innocent, according to the AP.

“There is no investigative or operational reason for me to be making any more announcements about the McGuigan or Davison murders at this stage”, he said. I played no act or part in Jean McConville’s death.

Considered an informant at the time, McConville was one of 16 who disappeared after allegedly ratting on the IRA, according to the Guardian.

An eighth suspect, Ivor Bell, 78, from Ramoan Gardens in west Belfast, was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the killing of Mrs McConville in March 2014.