‘VINDICTIVE’ POLICING AS 77-YEAR-OLD IS CHARGED

Posted by admin on March 22, 2014

Veteran republican Ivor Bell has been charged this Friday night with
IRA membership and “aiding and abetting” the execution of informer Jean
McConville in 1972.

The arrest of the well-known 77-year-old on Tuesday came as a shock to
the republican community. On Thursday the PSNI were granted permission
to interrogate the pensioner for a fourth day, despite his advanced
years and frail health. There were fears among his friends and
colleagues that he was being treated vindictively.

Mr Bell is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court
tomorrow [Saturday].  A white-tine picket has been organised to call
for Mr Bell’s immediate release. The picket will be held at the top of
Castle Street in Belfast at 1.30pm.

The senior figure is alleged to have been a commander in the Belfast
brigade of the IRA throughout the 1970s. In 1972, he was among a group
of top republicans, including the current Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams,
who were flown to London in 1972 for ceasefire talks with the British
government.

Regarded as a militant, he was ousted from the IRA in 1985 for opposing
the political direction advocated by Adams.

There had been speculation in the mainstream media that the arrest came
in response to the PSNI securing the tapes of an interview with former
IRA Volunteer Dolours Price. There have also been claims that Mr Bell’s
arrest may impact on Mr Adams, who has long denied widespread
allegations that he was involved in or even ordered the kidnapping of
McConville.

Between 2001 and 2006 a Boston College project conducted ‘confidential’
interviews with prominent members of the Provisional IRA. While the
university quickly submitted to a court challenge to hand over the files
in question to the PSNI in 2011, two researchers employed by it took a
Supreme Court challenge against their release in 2012, but ultimately
lost.

Earlier this week, a Six-County government council candidate spole of
his concern over the arrest Mr Bell, who is his election manager. Ciaran
Mulholland, who is standing as an independent republican socialist
candidate in west Belfast in this year’s local elections, said Mr Bell’s
arrest was an example of “political policing”.

Mr Mulholland called on the Stormont administration parties to condemn
the situation.
“This is an attack on all our human rights and a threat to democracy,”
he said.

“Let it be known to those who support the idea of political policing,
that this will not deter the hard work or voice of the working class and
the will of our people will only be strengthened by such actions. We are
confident and determined to succeed.”

Mr Bell’s arrest has also reopened the question of the letters issued to
some of those ‘On the Run’ (OTR) from prosecution for past IRA actions
which were seen to grant a form of immunity.

One such letter was cited by an Old Bailey judge in releasing Donegal
man John Downey as his trial was due to get underway in London late last
month.

Davy Hyland, an independent local election candidate in Newry, said he
had recently been subjected to a politically motivated arrest and
questioned for two days by the PSNI in connection with the 1999 death of
another IRA informer, Eamon Collins.

“During the interrogations, not one iota of evidence to link me to his
murder was found,” he said.

“The entire episode smacks of overt political policing and the police
being influenced by the current OTR debacle. By this I mean you’re fair
game if you are not in an establishment, constitutional party.”