No plot to kill innocent civilians, says Carrington

CLAIMS that there was a top-level plot to shoot innocent people on Bloody Sunday are “ridiculous”, a former British defence secretary has said.

Lord Carrington, 83, who is testifying to the Bloody Sunday inquiry in London, is the most senior politician to give evidence so far.

The tribunal is investigating what happened on January 30, 1972, when paratroops opened fire on civilians at a civil rights march in the Bogside in Derry killing 13 civilians. Another man died later.

Lord Carrington said there was “never any question” of the British army firing on innocent civilians in Derry’s no-go area in early 1972.

“I can state quite categorically that it was never policy to shoot unless a target had been identified as a threat,” he said in his written statement to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. “It is ridiculous to suggest there was a plot. People find plots in everything.”

As defence minister in 1972, he was political head of armed services. In his statement to the tribunal, Lord Carrington said the Cabinet discussed containing the civil rights march days before Bloody Sunday.

The peer said he did not remember any discussion about the tactics which were to be used by the Army and there was no question of soldiers opening fire on innocent civilians.

The families of those killed will argue that he, as part of the government, contemplated the use of unlawful lethal force.