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Gerry Adams: Ex-Sinn Féin leader can be sued by IRA victims, court rules

Pool/Getty Images Gerry AdamsPool/Getty Images
Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is being sued by three people

Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams can be sued in a personal capacity by victims of IRA bomb attacks in England, the High Court in London has ruled.

They are seeking symbolic damages of £1 for "vindicatory purposes".

The civil action is being brought by three people.

John Clark, a victim of the Old Bailey bombing in March 1973, has brought forward the case alongside Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock.

On Friday, the court decided their claim against the IRA is struck out "because of the established principle of law that an unincorporated association is not a legal entity".

Mr Adams has consistently denied being a member of the IRA.

Tony Harris/PA Debris strewn across the scene of the IRA bomb blast in London's DocklandsTony Harris/PA
The blast at the London Docklands in 1996 killed two people and caused about £150m worth of damage

Mr Adams also failed to have the victims made liable for his legal costs - which are said to have totalled more than £120,000 to date.

The victims, who are using crowdfunding to bring their case, viewed this as an attempt to get them to drop the case.

Mr Ganesh is a victim of the London Docklands bombing in February 1996.

Mr Laycock is a victim of the June 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester.

They allege Mr Adams "acted with others in furtherance of a common design to bomb the British mainland", and was "directly responsible" in various roles within the IRA for decisions made to place devices in 1973 and 1996.

At an earlier hearing in November, Mr Adams, who denies the allegations, asked Mr Justice Soole to throw the case out.

In his ruling, the judge stated whether Mr Adams was "at the material times" a member of the IRA or its leadership "is a question of fact that can only be determined at full trial".

A solicitor representing the individuals taking the case said Friday's court ruling was an "unequivocal victory for all victims and survivors of IRA terrorism".

Matthew Jury added that the action was the "last chance" for a case to be brought against Mr Adams after the government's legislation on the future of Troubles-related cases and civil proceedings.

Seamus Collins, a lawyer who represents Mr Adams, said it was "significant though not surprising that the judgement struck out the claim against the IRA and against Mr Adams in a representative capacity".

"The legal application we took has succeeded on all elements save the issue of costs which will be heard next week in court," he added.

"Mr Adams will discuss all of these matters with his legal representatives."