Outrage at the jailing of a Derry man for refusing to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday Tribunal has been expressed at a public protest in the city this afternoon.
About 50 people gathered outside the Guildhall in the city where the tribunal has been sitting, infuriated at the arrest and detention of Martin "Ducksie" Doherty (54) of Fanad Drive, Creggan this morning.
He was sentenced to three months in prison at Belfast High Court last month after he refused to attend the tribunal. He was given time to reconsider his position by the judge but was today arrested at his home.
Doherty contended the inquiry would not uncover the truth about what happened in 1972 when 13 people on a civil rights march were shot dead by British security forces.
After the verdict he shouted to the judge: "I'm the only man to be punished for Bloody Sunday, it's a disgrace."
A spokesman for the Bloody Sunday Trust, Mr Michael McKinney, whose brother was murdered on Bloody Sunday , said today: "It is disgraceful that after everything that has occurred at this Inquiry that the only person to be arrested and imprisoned to date will be a Derry man who clearly did not murder anyone on Bloody Sunday .
"It was not Martin Doherty who killed or wounded 28 people in Derry on January 30th, 1972 but of those who were responsible, none have been arrested and none have been imprisoned for their actions that day.
Doherty was sent to trial by the tribunal chair Lord Saville despite a number of British soldiers refusal to attend the inquiry or refusal to answer questions.
He was due to appear under the pseudonym of "Provisional IRA 9" to protect his identity. He is excepted to serve about six weeks at Maghaberry Prison, Co Antrim.
Meanwhile, the Inquiry announced today that it will take evidence from a witness in London next week. Witness X will be questioned about his alleged statement to the RUC in 1972 that he was a member of the IRA and that he fired shots at soldiers on Bloody Sunday .