On 16 December 2005, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams announced to a press conference in Dublin that Donaldson had been an agent for British intelligence. This was confirmed by Donaldson in a statement which he read out on RTÉ, the Irish state broadcaster, shortly afterward. According to the British agent known as 'Martin', leading South Armagh republicans blamed Donaldson for IRA operations which had been compromised and suspected he had planted covert listening devices which they had found. Donaldson stated that he was recruited after compromising himself during a vulnerable time in his life, but did not specify why he was vulnerable or why he would risk his life as an intelligence agent for the British Government in an area such as West Belfast.