Saville urged to clear victims' names

Families of the Bloody Sunday victims tonight urged Lord Saville to clear the names of the 13 people shot dead by British paratroopers in Derry.

At the end of the marathon £155m (€229m) investigation into the killings of the unarmed civilians, a brother of one of the dead said Lord Saville must declare all those killed and wounded innocent.

It will be late spring of next year before a report is delivered, but Mickey McKinney, whose brother William died in the January 1972 shooting, demanded total exoneration.

Standing on the steps of the Guildhall, where the Tribunal was held, he said he felt as angry today at the death of his brother William as he did in January 1972.

“What is clear is that Lord Saville has to vindicate each of our loved ones and each of the wounded of all wrongdoing on Bloody Sunday,” he said.

“What is also clear is that all of those shot on Bloody Sunday were shot completely without justification.”

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry edged closer to completion today with the end to almost four years of oral evidence.

Six years after the Inquiry was announced by Tony Blair, the 919th witness gave the final piece of testimony at the Guildhall.

Before adjourning, Chairman Lord Saville said no action would be taken against journalists who had refused to identify their sources or former paramilitaries who had declined to name names.

However, he said one witness, PIRA 9, would be reported to the High Court in the North for contempt for refusing to cooperate with the Inquiry.

The last witness to give evidence was the man in charge of the Derry Brigade of the Provisional IRA on Bloody Sunday.

PIRA 24 said he had decided not to take action against the British army on the day of march.

Questioned by Edwin Glasgow QC, representing most of the soldiers, he said he was certain none of the organisation’s quartermasters had given out ammunition or weapons on Bloody Sunday.

“They were well out of the way of the march and I was satisfied that they were well under control.”

Mr Glasgow accused PIRA 24 of lying when he claimed a Thompson machine gun was not used in the killing of two policemen three days before Bloody Sunday.

PIRA 24 insisted a 45 automatic pistol was used in the attack which killed Sergeant Peter Gilgunn and Constable David Montgomery on the Creggan Road.

But the lawyer pointed out that 17 rounds of automatic fire had been pumped into the car.

“On this and a number of matters, I am accusing you of making up lies where you think they are going to help. That, I suggest is one of the most blatant and absurd ones.”

Mr Glasgow had earlier accused Martin McGuinness of lying in his evidence to the Saville Inquiry last year when he said he sought permission from a family to give the whereabouts of an IRA safe house on Bloody Sunday.

PIRA 24 said the house at Stanley’s Walk in the Bogside, where members of the IRA met in the aftermath of the shootings, was derelict.

Asked if he was putting anyone in danger by pointing out the location of the house, the former OC, known as PIRA 24, said: “Not at all.”

Mr Glasgow said: “I am going to suggest that was an elaborate piece of deceit but so far as you know there is no reason at all why the address of that house should not have been frankly identified straight away.”

But under questioning by his solicitor Barra McGrory, who also represented Mr McGuinness, PIRA 24 said a second house in Stanley’s Walk was also used for meetings by the Provos.

Lord Saville and his two fellow judges, William Hoyt and John Toohey, are expected to deliver their final report in the first half of 2005.

Counsel to the Inquiry Christopher Clarke QC described the inquiry as “an enormous task on an issue of great controversy which has required and received high levels of commitment”.

The Tribunal was adjourned until June 7 when it will return to discuss the final submissions.

Mr Clarke will begin delivering his closing argument on October 24.