Declassified US State Department files from 1997 have identified former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams as a senior commander of the Irish Republican Army, according to diplomatic cables that have recently surfaced.

The 1997 US state department diplomatic cable specifically names both Adams and Martin McGuinness as members of the IRA's war council. The identification appears in official US government documentation from that period.

Adams has consistently denied being a member of the IRA throughout his political career. The former Sinn Fein president has faced numerous allegations about IRA involvement over the years but has maintained his position of denial.

The emergence of these files comes as Adams reportedly faces potential legal action. The timing of the document release coincides with ongoing legal proceedings involving the former political leader.

McGuinness, who died in 2017, served as Northern Ireland's deputy first minister and was a key figure in the peace process alongside Adams. Unlike Adams, McGuinness had previously acknowledged his past IRA membership before entering mainstream politics.