Killings were murder, says former soldier

A former British soldier who witnessed Bloody Sunday as a civilian claimed today the killings were ‘‘premeditated murder’’.

Eric Irvine, who had recently left the Army having served as a private in the Royal Fusiliers on January 30 1972, told the new inquiry probing the shootings: ‘‘I was totally ashamed at what the Army had done that day and I didn’t mention to anyone again that I had served in the Army.’’

Mr Irvine claimed the first shots he encountered that day were fired from the walls of Derry overlooking the Bogside from the east - not the direction of Paras who entered the area from the north and opened fire.

He stated: ‘‘In my opinion, the Army engineered it so that it looked as though they were under fire; however they just went in there and shot 13 unarmed people for no reason. It was premeditated murder.

‘‘There were no casualties at all on the military side and it was a miracle that only 13 civilians were killed.’’

Under cross-examination at the hearings in the Guildhall, Derry, he was challenged about his recollection of events, but replied: ‘‘I know one thing: there were 13 people shot dead in broad daylight. There are hundreds of witnesses. I don’t know what you want.

‘‘There were 13 young people, not attached to anything, they were just out on a protest march and they ended up losing their lives.’’