Former IRA terrorist Dessie Ellis admitted in a new Mail podcast launched today that he was “lucky” to be cleared of his alleged role in the 1982 double London bombings that left 11 people dead.
The former bomb maker, 71, was extradited to Britain in 1990 to face charges of making the devices that killed 11 soldiers.
On the morning of 20 July 1982, a nail bomb was detonated in a car in Hyde Park as Royal Cavalry soldiers rode past, seven of whom were killed.
Two hours later, a second device exploded beneath the bandstand in Regent’s Park, while members of the Royal Green Jackets were performing to a crowd.
In an interview with the Daily Mail’s executive editor in Ireland, John Lee, about From bomb to ballot box: the story of Sinn FéinThe former TV repairman, now 71, says he was acquitted because of a “loophole.”
Former IRA terrorist Dessie Ellis has admitted he was “lucky” to be cleared of his role in the 1982 London double bomb attack that left 11 dead.
On the morning of 20 July 1982, a nail bomb was detonated in a car in Hyde Park as Royal Cavalry soldiers rode past. Four soldiers and seven horses died
He says: ‘Because my prints were on a certain rubbish tip that was linked to incidents in England, that was what they were trying to prove.
“But there was a loophole where you had to be fully aware of where items were going and we used the argument to say that items that were in England, if I had had them in my hands, I wouldn’t be able to say where they were.” they were going to go
“I was acquitted at the Old Bailey and I was sitting there, and there was a guy sitting reading the newspaper and the big headline in the paper was ‘This Man Won the Lottery.’
NEW PODCAST: From the bomb to the polls: the story of Sinn Féin
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And one of the special branch officers says, “I don’t know who’s luckier, him or you”… and I just said, “Maybe me.”
A judge ruled that IRA terrorist John Downey was partly responsible for the Hyde Park attack, but he was never convicted after it emerged that the Metropolitan Police had assured him in a letter that he would not be prosecuted.
No one else has ever been convicted in connection with the attack.
Queen Camilla’s ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, was commander of the Royal Cavalry when the attack occurred.
The bomb had been surrounded by hundreds of four- and six-inch nails so that it would cause maximum damage when it exploded.
In addition to those who died, the other soldiers in the procession were among at least 51 people – including civilians and police – who were injured.
Members of the Royal Cavalry were taking part in their daily Changing of the Guard procession from their barracks in Knightsbridge when they were hit by the explosion.
Ellis is now a Sinn Fein politician and has been a member of the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland since 2011.
Two hours later, a second device exploded beneath the bandstand in Regent’s Park, while members of the Royal Green Jackets were performing to a crowd.
The bodies of Royal Cavalry horses lie on the road in Hyde Park after the horrendous attack.
The road is cleared of blood and debris after the bombing in Hyde Park on July 20, 1982. In addition to the dead, dozens of people were injured.
Members of the Royal Cavalry were taking part in their daily Changing of the Guard procession from their barracks in Knightsbridge when they were hit by the explosion. Above: the consequences
Two hours after the 10.43am explosion in Hyde Park, a second bomb which had been placed under the bandstand in Regent’s Park exploded while 30 military musicians from the Royal Green Jackets were performing. Seven musicians lost their lives
When asked on the surprising new podcast what his exact role was in the Irish Republican Army, Ellis says: “Well, I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I would say, look, I was in the republican movement.”
‘I had a role in the republican movement and I fulfilled that role to the best of my ability. And I guess it was successful to some extent.
In 1983, Ellis was sentenced to ten years in prison in Ireland after being convicted of possession of materials used to manufacture explosive devices.
After being released from prison, he reported back to the IRA, but then decided to enter politics because it was “too hot” to remain a criminal.
He says, ‘Well, first of all, I reported directly to the republican movement.
IRA terrorist John Downey, who a judge ruled had been partly responsible for the attack, was never convicted after it emerged that the Metropolitan Police had assured him in a letter that he would not be prosecuted. No one else has ever been convicted in connection with the attack.
Daily Mail front page the day after the attacks in Hyde Park and Regent’s Park
“And then after a while I decided I was too hot and couldn’t move without having problems.
“So I decided, at that moment, and we collectively decided that I would go into politics.”
during the shocking podcast interviewThe politician revealed he has no regrets about his past activities and says the prospect of a united Ireland is now “inevitable”.
“I’m a big believer that you make decisions, you stick to them, you don’t sit back and regret them,” he says.
“There will be a lot of things that you would feel, how you would say, that should never have happened, but, and then there are a lot of things that should have happened.”
“And we are working towards a united Ireland and we are at a point where that is inevitable.”
“It is in the future but it is inevitable that we will see a united Ireland.” And that has been my ultimate goal.”
All seven episodes of From Bomb to Vote: The Story of Sinn Féin are available from today.