Soldiers watched in silence, one of them aiming a gun, as a group of civilians went to the aid of several dead or wounded people in the courtyard of Glenfada Park on Bloody Sunday, a witness said yesterday.
Mr Greg Doherty described how, against his better judgment, he joined a group of men who decided to walk across the open space of Fahan Street in the Bogside to help injured people whom they could hear moaning.
People on the other side had beckoned them to help, and one man in his group, Mr Johnny McLaughlin, said words to the effect of: "We can't leave those poor souls lying there."
They then crossed the road into Abbey Park.
Looking from there into the courtyard of Glenfada Park, he saw four bodies lying on the ground, and when he and others moved in towards them, he saw three or four soldiers on the other side of the courtyard.
Mr Doherty said one soldier was down on one knee, pointing his gun towards them; the others just seemed to be standing and talking to each other.
There were no weapons or missiles around the bodies.
The inquiry was told by the tribunal chairman, Lord Saville, that it has received from the High Court in London a firm starting date for a judicial review on the issue of the venue for hearing evidence from soldiers.
The High Court has allocated November 5th, 6th and 7th for the judicial review proceedings, and the tribunal has adjourned its oral hearings until Monday, November 12th.