Bloody Sunday report delayed another year

The report into the Bloody Sunday shootings in Derry is not likely to be published for at least another year, it emerged tonight.

Saville Inquiry officials confirmed it would be autumn 2009 – five years after the investigation ended – before findings were released.

Relatives of 13 people killed when paratroopers opened fire on a civil rights demonstration in January 1972 said they were disappointed at the new delay.

Tony Doherty, 45, whose father Patrick was shot, said: “I am sure all the families would share the sense of disappointment that I am reflecting.”

Lord Saville said the previous indication of the timescale necessary to complete the report “was a substantial underestimate”.

The last time he wrote to victims it was due to be completed this January or February.

Mr Doherty added: “We were beginning to organise ourselves to respond to the report so we have had some meetings so it is very disappointing and confusing as well.

“All we can do at this minute is wait.”

The Inquiry was established in 1998 by then British prime minister Tony Blair after a campaign by families of those killed and injured.

Around 900 witnesses were heard and most of the evidence was taken by the end of 2004.

In the letter to the families, Lord Saville apologised for the delay and said he and his colleagues were determined to deal fairly, accurately and thoroughly with the issues before them.

“We have always found it difficult, given the scale and complexity of the material with which we are dealing, to predict accurately how long it will take us to complete our task,” he said.