Gerry Adams, pictured here in Dublin in April 2025.RollingNews.ie

Gerry Adams, the former President of Sinn Féin, has welcomed the discontinuation of a claim brought against him in the UK's High Court in London.

Adams, 77, was being sued for a symbolic £1, accused of being directly responsible and complicit for decisions by the Provisional IRA to detonate bombs in England in 1973 and 1996.

He was being sued by John Clark, who was injured in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London, Jonathan Ganesh, who was injured in the 1996 London Docklands bombing, and Barry Laycock, who was injured in the 1996 Manchester bombing.

The trio, who crowdfunded more than £120k for their case, alleged that Adams held a command-and-control role in the Provisional IRA (PIRA), which they described as "an organization responsible for the deaths and lifelong suffering of thousands."

Ahead of the trial, the trio said: "For the first time, he [Adams] will be cross-examined in an English court on these allegations. This moment is historic. It may be the last real chance to have Mr. Adams answer in court."

According to Reuters, Anne Studd, the lawyer for the three victims, said at the start of the trial that Adams was “so intrinsically involved in the PIRA [Provisional Irish Republican Army] organization that he is ⁠as culpable for the assaults … as the individuals who planted and detonated the bombs."

Giving evidence, Adams said he "categorically" denied the claims and "had no involvement in or advance knowledge of" the bombings.

Adams, who served as President of Sinn Féin from 1983 to 2018, has consistently denied having ever been a member of the Provisional IRA. He was charged with IRA membership in 1978, but the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence.

In court on Friday, Studd said that the claim against Adams would be discontinued after “proceedings developed overnight," which she said were related to an argument around “abuse of process." She added that there is "no order as to costs."

Adams, who gave evidence earlier in the two-week trial, was not in court on Friday.

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The day before the claim was discontinued, Adams said on his podcast Léargas that the case was based on "hearsay and alleged intelligence claims made by witnesses who could provide no documentary supporting evidence."

"So far, it has provided a platform for some highly offensive, insulting, and untruthful commentary," he added.

Adams said on Thursday that while he was defending himself and challenging the allegations against him, he was also participating out of respect for the claimants who "suffered grievously."

He continued: "But the only thing I'm guilty of is being an Irish republican, committed to ending British rule in our country and seeking to unite the people of Ireland on the basis of freedom and equality, peace, and solidarity."

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In a statement issued via Sinn Féin on Friday after the claim was discontinued, Adams welcomed the claimants' decision, adding that he had attended the civil case "out of respect for them."

He said: "This decision brings to an emphatic end a case that should never have been brought.

"I contested this case and defended myself against the smears and false accusations being levelled against me.

"I asserted the legitimacy of the Republican cause and the right of the people of Ireland to freedom and self-determination. I do so again.

"During my two days of evidence, I categorically rejected all of the claims being made.

"I am glad to have been one of those who helped bring an end to the conflict.

"We now have, through the Good Friday Agreement, a peaceful and democratic route to a new Ireland.

"That needs a renewed focus, especially by the Irish government.

"An Ireland that is respectful of all of its people and that is based on equality, tolerance and respect.

"I want to thank all of those who have expressed their solidarity with me and the Sinn Féin team which worked closely with me.

"I especially want to thank Colette [his wife] and our family.

"Buiochas mór to my legal team for their exemplary work."

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The discontinuation of the claim against Adams on Friday comes less than a year after he was awarded €100k in his libel case against the BBC.

Adams had sought damages after a BBC "Spotlight" programme, citing an anonymous source, claimed Adams ordered the March 2006 killing of Denis Donaldson, a former senior member of Sinn Féin who later confessed to being a British spy.

The day after the "Spotlight" programme aired in September 2016, an article with the headline "Gerry Adams sanctioned Denis Donaldson killing" was published on the BBC website.

Adams denies sanctioning the killing of Donaldson; the dissident Republican group the Real IRA later claimed responsibility.

11 jurors in Dublin ultimately decided in Adams' favor, awarding him €100k in damages, which Adams said he would be donating to "good causes."