This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/07/ivor-bell-stand-trial-involvement-jean-mcconville
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ivor Bell to stand trial for involvement in Jean McConville murder | Ivor Bell to stand trial for involvement in Jean McConville murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The veteran republican Ivor Bell will stand trial for involvement in the 1972 murder of Jean McConville, a judge in Northern Ireland has ruled. | The veteran republican Ivor Bell will stand trial for involvement in the 1972 murder of Jean McConville, a judge in Northern Ireland has ruled. |
| Bell, 79, from west Belfast, is charged with aiding and abetting the kidnap, killing and secret burial of the widow and mother of 10. | Bell, 79, from west Belfast, is charged with aiding and abetting the kidnap, killing and secret burial of the widow and mother of 10. |
| Bell, who is also charged with IRA membership, appeared at Belfast magistrates court, where he was told the high-profile case would proceed to the crown court. | Bell, who is also charged with IRA membership, appeared at Belfast magistrates court, where he was told the high-profile case would proceed to the crown court. |
| District judge Amanda Henderson said: “There is a case to answer at this stage.” | |
| Bell denies all the charges against him. | Bell denies all the charges against him. |
| McConville was the first of the Disappeared, more than a dozen people the IRA killed and buried in secret whom they accused of being informers. | |
| The case against Bell rests partly on an alleged interview he gave to the Belfast Project, an archive of IRA and Ulster loyalists who gave testimony about their role in the conflict for Boston College. | The case against Bell rests partly on an alleged interview he gave to the Belfast Project, an archive of IRA and Ulster loyalists who gave testimony about their role in the conflict for Boston College. |
| Henderson’s decision to proceed to trial followed a two-day preliminary inquiry at the Laganside court complex last week. | Henderson’s decision to proceed to trial followed a two-day preliminary inquiry at the Laganside court complex last week. |
| The judge said she was satisfied the strength of the evidence was sufficient to meet the threshold to return the accused for trial. | The judge said she was satisfied the strength of the evidence was sufficient to meet the threshold to return the accused for trial. |
| Throughout the brief hearing, white-haired Bell stood in the dock beside a prison guard, wearing a blue coat, grey and white striped shirt and grey cardigan. | Throughout the brief hearing, white-haired Bell stood in the dock beside a prison guard, wearing a blue coat, grey and white striped shirt and grey cardigan. |
| On the advice of his solicitor he replied “no” when asked if he had any response or intended to call witnesses. | On the advice of his solicitor he replied “no” when asked if he had any response or intended to call witnesses. |