British general's praise for Bloody Sunday shootings

The British Army's second-in-command in the North replied 'Well done', when told that unarmed bodies had been found on Bloody Sunday, the inquiry into the shootings was told today.

Journalist Peter Stewart, who was with the BBC at the time, said he overheard the conversation between General Robert Ford and Lieut-Col Derek Wilford, commander of paratroopers involved in the killings.

Stewart admitted inaccurately reporting that troops had met "a fusillade of terrorist fire" on the evening of Bloody Sunday, insists it was "an unguarded statement".

He said that during the final of four conversations with Gen Ford that day, Lieut-Col Wilford had approached the general to give him a situation report.

"He said something like 'We have found two bodies sir, and neither of them had a weapon. I'm sorry'", Stewart told the inquiry.

"General Ford said something like 'Well done, Derek' and patted him on the shoulder".