Saville - Video link decision for soldiers to be opposed
Relatives of the victims of Bloody Sunday today pledged to resist plans to set up a video link for soldiers to give evidence.
John Kelly, whose teenage brother Michael was one of 13 civilians shot dead by the Parachute Regiment in Derry in 1972, said he wanted to be in the same room when the soldiers gave evidence.
‘‘This decision means that families are not getting the opportunity of hearing the people who murdered their loved ones testifying face to face,’’ he said.
He was reacting to plans by the Bloody Sunday Tribunal to sit in Derry while the soldiers give evidence via video in Great Britain.
Mr Kelly said the families would be contacting their lawyers to raise strong objections to the move.
‘‘This isn’t acceptable to us. We are disappointed with this ruling from the inquiry. We will always continue to argue that the soldiers should give their evidence in Derry,’’ he added.
A lawyer acting for the Saville Inquiry has already written to all parties including the Ministry of Defence asking if there were any objections to taking this course of action.
It follows the Court of Appeal ruling last week that the soldiers should not be forced to appear in person in Derry.
The 36 former and serving soldiers, who brought the case to the High Court in London, feared that if they were forced to travel to Derry, where the Saville Inquiry is sitting in the Guildhall, they would be targeted by republicans.
They succeeded in overturning the ruling by inquiry chairman Lord Saville of Newdigate, who said there was no compelling reason the soldiers should not give evidence in Derry, like all the other witnesses.
