Final stages for Bloody Sunday Inquiry

The long running Bloody Sunday Inquiry resumes in London tomorrow with the end finally in sight.

Set up in 1998 by Tony Blair, the tribunal began hearing evidence in Derry three and a half years ago.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville, is investigating the death of 13 civilians shot dead by members of the Parachute Regiment during a civil rights march in the city in January 1972. A 14th person died later.

It is the longest running and most costly public inquiry in British legal history.

So far it has cost close to £120m (€170m) and the final bill is expected to be around £160m (€227m).

The tribunal moved to London last year to hear evidence from military witnesses who claimed travelling to Derry would put their lives at risk.

It will reopen at Central Hall, Westminster, in the morning where it is expected to remain for another six weeks.

It will the return to the Guildhall in Derry for the final leg – with Lord Saville hoping to wrap up the hearing of witnesses by Christmas.

He and the two Commonwealth judges sitting with him will then spend months sifting through the evidence before producing their report which is expected to be presented to the British government by next autumn.

Lord Saville and his colleagues will have to try to finally give a definitive answer to what happened on the fateful day.

Civilian witnesses who gave evidence in Derry claimed the paratroopers opened fire indiscriminately on innocent civilians in the Bogside area of the city.

Military witnesses, many whom had their identities protected, insisted that civilians were never targeted, saying they only opened fire on gunmen, petrol bombers and nail bombers.

Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness will be among high profile witnesses to give evidence when the inquiry returns to Derry.

He has admitted he was the Provisional IRA’s second-in-command in Derry on Bloody Sunday and will tell the inquiry IRA members held to a pledge not to open fire on the security forces during the march.

At least five former members of the Official IRA are also due to give evidence about what they did on the day.

They are expected to admit to having opened fire, but firing only a few shots and only after the paratroopers had already shot a number of people.