Brian Gillen

Who is Brian Gillen?

Brian "Ginger" Gillen is a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and also a member of the IRA Army Council.

In 1995 Gillen, as Officer Commanding of the IRA's Belfast Brigade, was a member of the IRA Executive and was critical of the strategy being employed by Gerry Adams. In 1997 Gillen was elected to the Army Council with the backing of Adams, after he backed the leadership over dissidents who wished to steer the IRA in a more hardline direction.

In 2000, Gillen, along with Adams, Martin McGuinness, Pat Doherty and Brian Keenan were issued with a subpoena, in order to appear at Northern Ireland High Court as part of a civil action which was taken by relatives of the 29 Omagh bombing victims.

His solicitor was Patrick Finucane.