By Juno McEnroe

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has refused to comment on reports that Republican Thomas Slab Murphy ordered the killing of "many people".

Mr Adams is also refusing to say whether his party’s manifesto will include calls for the special criminal court to be abolished.

The party leader was speaking in Dublin, after February 26 was officially announced as the general election date by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

A British soldier told a BBC spotlight programme this week that Mr Murphy was a “mass murderer” who had ordered the killing of many people.

Colonel Richard Kemp, who had served in the North, said soldiers in Armagh were very familiar with Mr Murphy and an IRA unit he had led. He claimed Mr Murphy had been head of the Provisional IRA in South Armagh.

The soldier said Mr Murphy was not necessarily the “trigger man” but that he had “sent those people out to commit murder on behalf of the IRA.”

"I think Thomas Murphy will be remembered and I certainly will remember him for being a mass murderer, he killed and ordered the killing of many people," the soldier told the BBC programme.

Mr Murphy was convicted of nine counts of tax late last year. He is now facing up to five years in prison and will be sentenced by the special criminal court in a few weeks time.

Mr Adams yesterday refused to comment on the BBC programme. He also said he had not seen it.

Mr Adams has previously said that Mr Murphy is a “good Republican”.

The party leader said he had nothing to say about the allegations, other than Mr Murphy was not standing in the general election.

Mr Adams said the Sinn Féin manifesto would be signed off on later today by the party. He has refused to say if the party will call for the special criminal court-which Sinn Féin opposes-to be abolished.