Witness 'saw Bloody Sunday soldier shoot innocent girl'

A witness has told the Saville Inquiry how he saw a female friend injured by a rubber bullet fired by British soldiers on Bloody Sunday more than 32 years ago.

Brian Power told the inquiry today that he was involved in throwing stones at British soldiers on the day at a barricade in the William Street area.

However, when people began to retreat, he went to the flat of a friend, Mary Smith, in Kells Walk, beside Rossville Street.

Mr Power said that, when Ms Smith went to the window of the flat, he saw an officer pointing in her direction and speaking to another soldier, who swivelled and fired a rubber bullet through the glass.

Ms Kelly suffered injuries to her face in the incident.

Mr Power insisted that the shooting was absolutely unprovoked.

“No one was doing anything and no one had any hands out of the window,” he said.