Soldier exaggerated interview

The inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972

A former parachute regiment soldier has admitted he "hammed up" an account he gave to a newspaper journalist about the events of Bloody Sunday.

Soldier J said on Tuesday that he told Daily Telegraph reporter Toby Harnden about things he did not actually see, in an attempt to secure anonymity for himself and his colleagues.

He said he had to "lay it on thick and ham it up a bit" during the interview four years ago, in a final attempt to have the soldiers' identities protected.

The inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972 when 13 civilians were shot dead by soldiers during a civil rights march in Derry. Another man died later from his injuries.

Soldier J earlier apologised to the tribunal for denying that he was the source of the article.

The former lance corporal said he lied because he feared for the safety of his family if his name leaked out.

He confirmed he spoke to Daily Telegraph reporter Toby Harnden but denied telling him he had "faced a grilling" by Eversheds, the lawyers acting for the Saville Inquiry, and saying he had told them the bare minimum.

Denial

"I did not withhold information from Eversheds and I am quite certain that I did not tell Toby Harnden that I had. I also did not regard the Eversheds interview as a 'grilling'," he said.

The comments were contained in a report on 20 May, 1999 in which Mr Harnden quoted a soldier he referred to as 'X' - Soldier J has already admitted to the tribunal that this was him.

Mr Harnden has been facing contempt charges for refusing to name his sources at the Saville Inquiry.

He won greater rights to see the tribunal's documents earlier this year, when the Appeal Court in Belfast accepted that the contempt proceedings were criminal rather than civil, as he faced up to two years in jail.

Earlier on Tuesday, Soldier J said that he fired at two nailbombers on Bloody Sunday.

Soldier J told the inquiry he missed with a shot fired at a man who was about to throw a nailbomb at a barricade on Rossville Street in Londonderry.

The former paratrooper said he fired another shot at another man who was about to throw a smoking object from the corner of the Rossville Flats, but missed him as well.

The tribunal is sitting at Central Hall in London for about six weeks before returning to the Guildhall in Derry as it enters its final stages.

It has been hearing evidence from military witnesses and others in London because of concerns for their safety.

Lord Saville of Newdigate has already heard evidence from more than 800 witnesses, including the prime minister in 1972, Sir Edward Heath.

Lord Saville and the Commonwealth judges accompanying him on the Bloody Sunday inquiry began their work nearly four years ago.

They are not expected to report back until next year.