Police to review original Claudy bombing investigation

Police in the North have launched a review into the investigation of the Claudy bombing in 1972.

Relatives of the nine people killed, three of them children, have been told a parish priest was involved in the atrocity.

Police have also said that the priest provided an alibi for one of the suspected bombers.

The cleric at the centre of the allegations is believed to be Fr Jim Chesney, who died in 1980.

PSNI Asst Chief Constable, Sam Kincaid, who is leading the review, has refused to confirm whether Fr Chesney was involved or not.

He said police would instead be probing why opportunities to arrest suspects in the bombing were not used.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Derry, Dr. Seamus Hegarty, said that considering the seriousness of the matter, he wanted to take time to give adequate consideration before making a response.