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| Jean McConville: Belfast republican Ivor Bell refused bail | Jean McConville: Belfast republican Ivor Bell refused bail |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An alleged former senior IRA member charged with aiding and abetting the murder of Jean McConville has been refused bail. | An alleged former senior IRA member charged with aiding and abetting the murder of Jean McConville has been refused bail. |
| The Belfast mother-of-10 was taken from her flat by the IRA in December 1972. | The Belfast mother-of-10 was taken from her flat by the IRA in December 1972. |
| Ivor Bell, 77, alleged to have been a senior member in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was arrested at his home in west Belfast, on Tuesday. | Ivor Bell, 77, alleged to have been a senior member in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was arrested at his home in west Belfast, on Tuesday. |
| He was refused bail on Saturday after a police officer told the court there was a high risk of him absconding. | He was refused bail on Saturday after a police officer told the court there was a high risk of him absconding. |
| A solicitor for Mr Bell told Belfast Magistrates Court his client was not involved in the murder of Jean McConville. | A solicitor for Mr Bell told Belfast Magistrates Court his client was not involved in the murder of Jean McConville. |
| He said the case against him was based on the Boston College tapes and "the evidence was not credible". | He said the case against him was based on the Boston College tapes and "the evidence was not credible". |
| A police officer, however, said the evidence pointed to Ivor Bell playing a critical role in aiding and abetting in the murder of Mrs McConville. | A police officer, however, said the evidence pointed to Ivor Bell playing a critical role in aiding and abetting in the murder of Mrs McConville. |
| He said Mr Bell was a frail 77-year-old grandfather who had suffered two heart attacks in recent years as well as having neck and bowel problems. | He said Mr Bell was a frail 77-year-old grandfather who had suffered two heart attacks in recent years as well as having neck and bowel problems. |
| Mrs McConville, 37, became known as one of the Disappeared. | Mrs McConville, 37, became known as one of the Disappeared. |
| She was kidnapped in front of her children after being accused of having been an informer - a claim that was later dismissed following an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman | She was kidnapped in front of her children after being accused of having been an informer - a claim that was later dismissed following an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman |
| She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. Her body was eventually recovered on a beach in County Louth in August 2003. | She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. Her body was eventually recovered on a beach in County Louth in August 2003. |
| Nobody has ever been charged with her murder. | Nobody has ever been charged with her murder. |
| The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. | The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. |
| The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. | The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. |
| The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. | The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. |
| It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. | It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. |
| Mr Bell was part of an IRA delegation, which also included Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, that held secret talks with the British government in London in 1972. | Mr Bell was part of an IRA delegation, which also included Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, that held secret talks with the British government in London in 1972. |
| The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. | The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. |
| The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. | The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. |