Gen. Jackson may face more Bloody Sunday questions

The UK's most senior soldier may be recalled to give further evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, it emerged today.

General Sir Mike Jackson, the Chief of the General Staff, could be asked to return to the witness box at the Saville Inquiry in London after a document alleged to contain his hand writing was submitted to the tribunal.

Colonel Ted Loden, the major in command of the army unit which fired more than 100 shots on Bloody Sunday, has claimed he made a list of engagements after interviewing his soldiers after the shootings.

The inquiry had earlier received a typed version of the list. However, a hand-written note of the engagements, which is alleged to contain Gen. Jackson’s handwriting, was submitted to the inquiry last week by the British Ministry of Defence.

Gen Jackson was an adjutant in the Parachute Regiment on January 30, 1972 when 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead by soldiers. Another man died later.

Michael Mansfield, QC, representing some of the families of the deceased and injured, has alleged the list of engagements was created to justify the extent of army fire by creating false targets and hostile fire.

Lord Saville said: “The hand-written notes by, it appears, Captain Jackson does on the face of it, appear to be an important document.

“We have asked that inquiries be made as to why it was not produced to us before June 12. It may be necessary to seek further information from Gen. Jackson or even to recall him.”

He added: “Colonel Loden’s recollection of giving the notes to a typist may or may not be correct but certainly do not seem to have included any recollection of the adjutant preparing the report.”

Gen. Jackson interrupted his command of the British war effort in Iraq to give evidence to the inquiry in April.