Tribunal continues into new year

Lord Saville is chairman of the inquiry

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry will not be able to finish hearing evidence by Christmas, tribunal chairman Lord Saville has announced.

Lord Saville said on Wednesday that the inquiry was still taking statements from a number of witnesses, and that he had no option but to hear more evidence in the new year.

The inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972 when 13 civilians were shot dead by soldiers during a civil rights march in Londonderry.

Another man died later from his injuries.

Lord Saville said he did not know how long it would take to finish the evidence.

He added that the tribunal could not go on indefinitely.

Meanwhile, a witness has told the inquiry that he saw two people being shot on Bloody Sunday.

Gerry Campbell said he was watching from his uncle's house in Abbey Park when a youth ran out from a group of people with his hands on his head.

He said a soldier shot the youth at close range.

The inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972

He said another man who emerged from the group with his hands in the air was also shot by a soldier.

The Saville Inquiry opened in Derry three and a half years ago, but moved to Westminster's Methodist Hall to hear evidence from more than 200 former soldiers and some politicians.

The inquiry returned to Derry in October, and this session marks the beginning of the end of the evidence.

Lord Saville of Newdigate and the Commonwealth judges accompanying him on the inquiry are not expected to report back until next year.

The inquiry was established in 1998 by Prime Minister Tony Blair after a campaign by families of those killed and injured.

They felt that the Widgery Inquiry, held shortly after the shootings, did not find out the truth about what happened on Bloody Sunday.