Ivor Bell
Encyclopedia
Ivor Malachy Bell is an Irish republican
, and a former volunteer
in the Belfast Brigade
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) who later became Chief of Staff on the Army Council
.
during the 1956-1962 campaign, but left over the decision to call a cease-fire. He rejoined the republican movement in 1970, and become the commander of the Kashmir Road based B Company of the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
.
During Gerry Adams' initial leadership of the republican movement he took much of his direction from Brendan Hughes
and Bell. At this time Bell was Adams' adjutant in the Second Battalion of the Belfast Brigade and Hughes was the commander of the D Coy. Adams looked to Bell for political strategy and to Hughes for the opinion of the "rank and file" volunteers.
In 1972, Bell, now Belfast Brigade adjutant, along with Seamus Twomey
, Martin McGuinness
, and Gerry Adams
were flown to London
by the Royal Air Force
for secret ceasefire talks with British ministers.
Adams and Bell were skeptical about the proposed cease-fire and they did not trust the British Government. The truce soon broke down, followed by twenty deaths over three days.
and Gerry Adams
. Fellow internees had nicknamed it the `General's Cage' because of the number of senior republicans held there.
On 15 April 1974 Bell escaped when he swapped places with a visitor and walked out of the prison. He was recaptured two weeks later at a flat in the affluent Malone Road area of south Belfast after Molloy had informed the security services of his whereabouts.
, Bell lost his position as Chief of Staff which was then held by Kevin McKenna from the Tyrone Brigade.
Upon release Bell, and fellow prisoner Edward Carmichael, stated that they had both been offered immunity if they would incriminate Sinn Féin elected representatives Danny Morrison, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. Carmichael had been offered £300,000 and Bell stated that was told he could "name my own figure".
Bell was the IRA's representative to Libya, during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Libya and the IRA had a common enemy, namely the British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher was heavily criticised in Libya for allowing American planes to take off from British air bases for raids on Libya in which more than seventy people were killed, including the Qaddafi's baby daughter, Hana, who died when the planes bombed the Qaddafi family home.
In late 1984 and early 1985 the Libyan Intelligence Service moved to put in place a supply of arms to the IRA in order that they could more effectively fight the British Army
, and Bell and Joe Cahill
were instrumental in putting in place the Libyan arms smuggling plan.
Bell was a hard-line militarist who opposed the use of funds by Sinn Féin and resented moves to end abstentionism
. Bell emerged as the head of a group, which included senior figures like Danny McCann. In the end, a court martial in June 1985 dismissed Bell from the IRA. He still resides in West Belfast
to this day.
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, and a former volunteer
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) who later became Chief of Staff on the Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
.
IRA career
Bell was involved with the Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican Army (1922–1969)
The original Irish Republican Army fought a guerrilla war against British rule in Ireland in the Irish War of Independence 1919–1921. Following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December 1921, the IRA in the 26 counties that were to become the Irish Free State split between supporters and...
during the 1956-1962 campaign, but left over the decision to call a cease-fire. He rejoined the republican movement in 1970, and become the commander of the Kashmir Road based B Company of the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade
The Belfast Brigade of the Provisional IRA was the largest of the organisation's command areas, based in the city of Belfast. Founded in 1969, along with the formation of the Provisional IRA, it was historically organised into three battalions; the First Battalion based in the...
.
During Gerry Adams' initial leadership of the republican movement he took much of his direction from Brendan Hughes
Brendan Hughes
Brendan Hughes , also known as "The Dark", was an Irish republican and former Officer Commanding of the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
and Bell. At this time Bell was Adams' adjutant in the Second Battalion of the Belfast Brigade and Hughes was the commander of the D Coy. Adams looked to Bell for political strategy and to Hughes for the opinion of the "rank and file" volunteers.
In 1972, Bell, now Belfast Brigade adjutant, along with Seamus Twomey
Seamus Twomey
Seamus Twomey was an Irish republican and twice chief of staff of the Provisional IRA.-Biography:Born in Belfast, Twomey lived at 6 Sevastopol Street in the Falls district...
, Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
, and Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
were flown to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
for secret ceasefire talks with British ministers.
Adams and Bell were skeptical about the proposed cease-fire and they did not trust the British Government. The truce soon broke down, followed by twenty deaths over three days.
Escape from Long Kesh
In February 1974, Bell was arrested on on information provided by supergrass Eamon Molloy. He was placed in Cage 11 at Long Kesh along with Brendan HughesBrendan Hughes
Brendan Hughes , also known as "The Dark", was an Irish republican and former Officer Commanding of the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
and Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
. Fellow internees had nicknamed it the `General's Cage' because of the number of senior republicans held there.
On 15 April 1974 Bell escaped when he swapped places with a visitor and walked out of the prison. He was recaptured two weeks later at a flat in the affluent Malone Road area of south Belfast after Molloy had informed the security services of his whereabouts.
Chief of Staff
In 1982, Martin McGuinness quit as Chief of Staff and Bell took over his position. Bell was arrested, on evidence provided by another supergrass, Robert “Beano” Lean, in 1983. In line with IRA rules, contained within the Green BookThe Green Book (IRA training manual)
The IRA Green Book is a training and induction manual issued by the Irish Republican Army to new volunteers. It was used by the post-Irish Civil War Irish Republican Army and Cumann na mBan, , along with offspring groupings such as the Provisional IRA...
, Bell lost his position as Chief of Staff which was then held by Kevin McKenna from the Tyrone Brigade.
Upon release Bell, and fellow prisoner Edward Carmichael, stated that they had both been offered immunity if they would incriminate Sinn Féin elected representatives Danny Morrison, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. Carmichael had been offered £300,000 and Bell stated that was told he could "name my own figure".
Libyan connection
On release from prison in 1983, Bell was reappointed to the Army Council but did not regain his position as Chief of Staff. Much of his influence had been eroded.Bell was the IRA's representative to Libya, during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Libya and the IRA had a common enemy, namely the British Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher was heavily criticised in Libya for allowing American planes to take off from British air bases for raids on Libya in which more than seventy people were killed, including the Qaddafi's baby daughter, Hana, who died when the planes bombed the Qaddafi family home.
In late 1984 and early 1985 the Libyan Intelligence Service moved to put in place a supply of arms to the IRA in order that they could more effectively fight the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and Bell and Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill was a prominent Irish republican and former chief of staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .- Background :In May 1920, Cahill was born in Divis Street in West Belfast, Ireland, where his parents had been neighbours of the Scottish-born Irish revolutionary James Connolly.Cahill...
were instrumental in putting in place the Libyan arms smuggling plan.
Court martial
In 1984, Bell openly opposed Adams’ proposal to increase spending on election campaigns instead of the war against Britain.Bell was a hard-line militarist who opposed the use of funds by Sinn Féin and resented moves to end abstentionism
Abstentionism
Abstentionism is standing for election to a deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business. Abstentionism differs from an election boycott in that abstentionists participate in the election itself...
. Bell emerged as the head of a group, which included senior figures like Danny McCann. In the end, a court martial in June 1985 dismissed Bell from the IRA. He still resides in West Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
to this day.