Ex-IRA leader gives evidence

The inquiry is being held in Londonderry's Guildhall

Former republican hunger striker Raymond McCartney has urged members of the IRA who have evidence about Bloody Sunday to contact the Saville Inquiry.

Mr McCartney, who took part in the first hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1980, was addressing the tribunal on Thursday.

The Saville Inquiry is examining the events of 30 January 1972 when 13 civilians were shot dead by British Army soldiers during a civil rights march in the city. A 14th person died later.

Mr McCartney told the inquiry that he joined the IRA after Bloody Sunday and did not know anyone who was in the IRA that day.

He would not name anyone in the terror group but said he would encourage everyone, including IRA members, to contact the inquiry if they had evidence.

The inquiry chairman, Lord Saville, told Mr McCartney that he might have to call him back and order him to reveal some names.

Mr McCartney, a former IRA commanding officer in the Maze, was jailed for killing English businessman Jeffrey Agate in Derry in February 1977.

His decision to give evidence came after the inquiry renewed its appeal to the IRA to come forward to give evidence last week.

Lord Saville said he needed the evidence if he was to carry out a full investigation.

As the tribunal rose for the summer break, Lord Saville said that four years into the inquiry, only a small number of IRA members had come forward.

IRA role

He said their evidence was important and that if they did not give it he would be asked to draw the conclusion that they had something to hide.

So far, only Northern Ireland Education Minister Martin McGuinness has given a statement about the role of the Provisional IRA on Bloody Sunday.

Six former members of the Official IRA have provided statements about what they were doing on the day.

However, it seems unlikely that more IRA members will come forward.

Thirteen civilians were killed on Bloody Sunday

The tribunal is sitting in the Guildhall in Londonderry for a short time before moving to London to hear evidence from soldiers.

Lord Saville and the commonwealth judges who comprise the inquiry began their work nearly four years ago and are not expected to report back until 2004.

The Bloody Sunday 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.