Ivor Bell - Libyan Connection

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 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.