Ballymurphy: British Army ‘don’t do conspiracies’, ex-chief says

The British Army “don’t do conspiracies”, a former chief of staff has told an inquest.

General Sir Mike Jackson (75) was giving evidence to a fresh inquest into a disputed shooting incident in Belfast in 1971.

Ten civilians, including a mother-of-eight and a Catholic priest, were killed across three days from August 9th to 11th of that year.

The shootings at Ballymurphy came following the introduction by the Stormont administration of the controversial policy of internment without trial.

Sir Mike was a captain in the Parachute Regiment on deployment in Belfast at the time. He described his role then as community relations and press liaison.

Michael Mansfield QC, counsel for the family of victim Joseph Corr, asked Sir Mike why soldiers involved in the shootings were not interviewed by the Royal Military Police at the time.

He put it to Sir Mike that there had been an attempt to "cover up" the shooting of Mr Corr and John Laverty on August 11th.

Sir Mike said that was “a preposterous accusation to make which would require a huge number of people to be part of. It simply does not add up.

“It may be there was a breakdown in procedure, it may be that the whole system was overwhelmed by the mayhem of that week, I don’t know.

“But I do know we (British Army) don’t do conspiracies.”

Sir Mike appeared at a fresh inquest into the deaths of Mr Corr and Mr Laverty on Thursday.

He said he was part of an army movement down Whiterock Road towards Springfield Road in the early hours of August 11th, aimed at dismantling barricades.

He recalled a gun battle between the army and the IRA which he said lasted two to three hours and involved 20 gunmen.

While he did not see the battle, he said he heard the shots, including the “distinctive thumping noise of a Thompson submachine gun” — a weapon then associated with the IRA. Sir Mike described that type of gun as the weapon of the enemy.

“I have absolutely no doubt that the IRA were firing on soldiers and soldiers were firing on the IRA,” he said.

Claims that IRA gunmen were in the area at the time have been disputed during the inquest hearings.

A newspaper article published later on August 11th described Mr Laverty and Mr Corr as gunmen.

Their families have insisted they were not gunmen. The inquest heard that guns were not found when their bodies were recovered.

Sir Mike told the inquest he accepts it was likely he was a captain quoted by the newspaper, although he did not recall giving the interview.

Pressed on why the pair had been described as gunmen, Sir Mike said he would have been fed information from soldiers on the ground, by radio or face to face.

“In retrospect, of course I should have said ‘alleged’,” Sir Mike told the inquest.

“Let me say to the families who so long ago lost their loved ones: for me it’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy which is hugely regrettable, but I would also say that anybody who loses their lives as a result of violent conflict is also a tragedy.

“I too have lost friends, so be it. My sympathies to you and I’m sorry that it is only now after so long that you feel you can come to terms,” he said.

Representatives from families of several of those killed by the Parachute Regiment were in the public gallery for the hearing on Thursday.–PA