Journalist Ed Moloney directed a project in which former loyalist and republican paramilitaries gave a series of candid interviews that chronicled their involvement in the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Recordings of these interviews, in which a number of allegations were made about Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams' involvement with the IRA, were held in a library at Boston College in the US, and became known as the Boston tapes.

Mr Moloney told Newsnight he did not think there was any evidence to charge Gerry Adams in the case of the 1972 murder of Jean McConville, following his arrest on Wednesday. Mr Adams has repeatedly denied that he was a member of the IRA or that he had any involvement with the murder.

"The [Boston College] interviews per se, if they talk about other people, then they fall into the category of hearsay evidence and hearsay evidence is not sufficient to charge, much less convict, another person," Mr Moloney said.

He added that in the Adams case there had been no admission of guilt or any forensic evidence.

"Common sense tells me that it is unlikely that he will face any charges."

Newsnight is on BBC Two at 22:30 BST