SETTING up a public inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry should be an "urgent priority" for the British government, given revelations in yesterday's Sunday Business Post, according to the SDLP party chairman, Mr Jonathan Stevenson.
The newspaper has given a copy of a document containing the names of the soldiers and officers involved in the killing of 13 civilians 25 years ago to the Government in Dublin. It has also published allegations by a paratrooper involved that day that soldiers of the Parachute Regiment were briefed "to get some kills" and that he saw some of his colleagues shooting unarmed demonstrators.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs would be studying closely the allegations from the former paratrooper. He was speaking at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Apeldoorn.
Government sources indicated that the Government had received a copy of the new eyewitness evidence some weeks ago. It was part of the examination of the events of Bloody Sunday being prepared for presentation to the British government.
The SDLP chairman said that if the present British government would not guarantee an inquiry "then the SDLP will certainly be pressing a new British government to do so after a general election".
The Bloody Sunday Trust in Derry said the case for a new, independent and international inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday had been enormously strengthened by the soldier's statement. The chairman of the trust, Mr Robin Percival, said: "The significance of the statement made by Soldier A is enormous.
"While his evidence will need to be placed in the context of all the available evidence that already exists on Bloody Sunday, it dramatically demonstrates the need for a new and independent inquiry, ash has been consistently called for both by the relatives of those killed but also by a wide range of human rights groups.
"The evidence which is now coming forward from members of the Parachute Regiment who were in Derry and were involved in the killings is dramatic confirmation of the need for a new inquiry," Mr Percival said.
Solder Ads evidence not only confirms the statements made by civilians at the time but also confirms what other soldiers have been saying, most recently, by Soldier John on the BBC's Talkback programme," he said.
Frank Millar, London Editor, writes:
The Northern Ireland Office last night repeated that any new evidence on the events of Bloody Sunday would be considered. A spokeswoman said she had no knowledge of the "new eyewitness evidence" reported in the Sunday Business Post, and which the paper has forwarded to the Irish Government.
However the claims concerning Soldier A, if forwarded to London, would be analysed alongside the evidence recently presented to Sir Patrick Mayhew by Mr John Hume and relatives of the Bloody Sunday victims. The Northern Ireland Secretary is said to be anxious that this review should be conducted as speedily as possible.