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No Bail for Former I.R.A. Member Charged in ’72 Killing No Bail for Former I.R.A. Member Charged in ’72 Killing
(6 months later)
DUBLIN — A man accused of being a former Irish Republican Army commander was denied bail on Saturday after being charged in connection with one of the most notorious crimes of the conflict in Northern Ireland: the murder of a mother of 10 in 1972. DUBLIN — A man accused of being a former Irish Republican Army commander was denied bail on Saturday after being charged in connection with one of the most notorious crimes of the conflict in Northern Ireland: the murder of a mother of 10 in 1972.
The break in the case, prosecutors said, was found in the recordings of an American college’s oral history project that interviewed paramilitary fighters involved in the long sectarian conflict, known as the Troubles.The break in the case, prosecutors said, was found in the recordings of an American college’s oral history project that interviewed paramilitary fighters involved in the long sectarian conflict, known as the Troubles.
The man who was charged on Friday, Ivor Bell, 77, is accused of aiding and abetting in the abduction and murder of Jean McConville in December 1972 in the wake of allegations that she had passed information to the British Army.The man who was charged on Friday, Ivor Bell, 77, is accused of aiding and abetting in the abduction and murder of Jean McConville in December 1972 in the wake of allegations that she had passed information to the British Army.
Earlier in 1972, Mr. Bell was part of an I.R.A. delegation that held secret talks with the British government — a group that included Gerry Adams, now the president of Sinn Fein, the republican political party, and Martin McGuinness, a former I.R.A. member who is now Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister. In 1982, Mr. Bell became the I.R.A.’s chief of staff, but was later dismissed from the organization.Earlier in 1972, Mr. Bell was part of an I.R.A. delegation that held secret talks with the British government — a group that included Gerry Adams, now the president of Sinn Fein, the republican political party, and Martin McGuinness, a former I.R.A. member who is now Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister. In 1982, Mr. Bell became the I.R.A.’s chief of staff, but was later dismissed from the organization.
Mrs. McConville, 37, was buried in an unmarked grave and became one of “the disappeared,” 16 civilians accused of spying who were killed by the I.R.A. Her remains were discovered by accident in 2003 in Ireland. The bodies of seven of the disappeared have still not been found.Mrs. McConville, 37, was buried in an unmarked grave and became one of “the disappeared,” 16 civilians accused of spying who were killed by the I.R.A. Her remains were discovered by accident in 2003 in Ireland. The bodies of seven of the disappeared have still not been found.
In 2006, Northern Ireland’s police ombudsman said there was no evidence that Mrs. McConville had ever passed information to the security forces.In 2006, Northern Ireland’s police ombudsman said there was no evidence that Mrs. McConville had ever passed information to the security forces.
On Saturday, at a hearing in Belfast Magistrates Court attended by some of Mrs. McConville’s children and grandchildren, the prosecutor said that a transcript from an oral history project at Boston College showed that Mr. Bell had “played a critical role in the aiding, abetting, counsel and procurement of the murder of Jean McConville.”On Saturday, at a hearing in Belfast Magistrates Court attended by some of Mrs. McConville’s children and grandchildren, the prosecutor said that a transcript from an oral history project at Boston College showed that Mr. Bell had “played a critical role in the aiding, abetting, counsel and procurement of the murder of Jean McConville.”
Mr. Bell’s lawyer, Peter Corrigan, denied that his client had been involved in the killing, and claimed that the prosecution’s case relied solely on an interview from the Boston College tapes conducted with a man referred to only as Z, who the prosecution says is Mr. Bell.Mr. Bell’s lawyer, Peter Corrigan, denied that his client had been involved in the killing, and claimed that the prosecution’s case relied solely on an interview from the Boston College tapes conducted with a man referred to only as Z, who the prosecution says is Mr. Bell.
But Mr. Corrigan said that the person interviewed on the tape had denied any involvement in the murder. “During those interviews, Z explicitly states that he was not involved with the murder of Jean McConville,” he said. “The defense submits that the evidence does not amount to a row of beans in relation to the murder of Jean McConville.”But Mr. Corrigan said that the person interviewed on the tape had denied any involvement in the murder. “During those interviews, Z explicitly states that he was not involved with the murder of Jean McConville,” he said. “The defense submits that the evidence does not amount to a row of beans in relation to the murder of Jean McConville.”
Mr. Bell is scheduled for another court hearing next month.Mr. Bell is scheduled for another court hearing next month.
The Boston College tapes are an archive of conversations conducted with former prominent paramilitary fighters as part of a project chronicling their actions during the Northern Ireland conflict. It subsequently came to light that two former members of the I.R.A., now dead, detailed their involvement in the murder of Mrs. McConville. The two interviewees, Brendan Hughes and Dolours Price, also accused Mr. Adams of authorizing her abduction, a claim Mr. Adams denies.The Boston College tapes are an archive of conversations conducted with former prominent paramilitary fighters as part of a project chronicling their actions during the Northern Ireland conflict. It subsequently came to light that two former members of the I.R.A., now dead, detailed their involvement in the murder of Mrs. McConville. The two interviewees, Brendan Hughes and Dolours Price, also accused Mr. Adams of authorizing her abduction, a claim Mr. Adams denies.
The taped interviews took place on the understanding they would never be made public during the lifetimes of the subjects, but last year the police in Northern Ireland persuaded a court in the United States to grant investigators access to the recordings.The taped interviews took place on the understanding they would never be made public during the lifetimes of the subjects, but last year the police in Northern Ireland persuaded a court in the United States to grant investigators access to the recordings.