Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams has denied a claim made in a book published today that he was the leader of the IRA in Belfast in 1972.
The allegations about Mr Adams comes in A Secret History of the IRAby journalist Ed Maloney.
The book claims Mr Adams set up a secret unit - known as "the unknowns" - that secretly executed and buried 10 suspected informers.
It also claims Mr Adams was the leader at the time widowed mother-of-10 Jean McConville, a suspected informer "disappeared".
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The book claims Mr Adams became the commander of the group in November 1972, a month before Mrs McConville disappeared from her home.
Mr Adams said in July he had never been a member of the IRA.
PA