Marchers 'shot in gun battle'

Thirteen civilians were killed on Bloody Sunday

Some of the civil rights marchers shot dead on Bloody Sunday were killed during a gun battle between soldiers and the IRA, the Saville Inquiry has been told.

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

Neil Falkingham, a uniformed police sergeant at the time, told Wednesday's sitting of the inquiry he believed the first gunfire he heard came from a Thompson sub-machinegun, a weapon used by the IRA in the 1970s.

Mr Falkingham, who retired after 40 years of service, was screened from the public and press while giving his evidence at the Guildhall in Derry.

He was on duty at an Army barrier in William Street on the day.

It could be described as an exchange of gunfire between opposing sides

Neil Falkingham

Under questioning from Arthur Harvey QC, counsel for many of the families, Mr Falkingham said he stood over the statement he submitted to the inquiry.

In it, he said: "In my previous statement I say that at least two weapons were being used and they sounded like the Thompson type of sub-machinegun.

"I confirm that the automatic gunfire lasted for about 45 seconds. I then heard high velocity gunfire which I knew to be the sound of Army issue rifles.

"The sound of the Thompson and the high velocity fire almost certainly overlapped for a short time. It could be described as an exchange of gunfire between opposing sides," he said.

'No explosions'

Mr Falkingham told Mr Harvey that he thought a number of people died in the gun battle.

The retired policeman said other than the two types of gunfire, he heard no other explosions or gunfire during the day.

"I am familiar with the sound of nail bombs, blast bombs and petrol bombs and I do not recall hearing any such explosions," he said.

Inquiry is examining events on Bloody Sunday

"I did not see any civilians carrying arms."

Mr Falkingham, whose duty on the day was to identify rioters among the crowd, rejected any suggestion that he had consulted with fellow officers before completing his report following the shootings.

The tribunal, chaired by Lord Saville, 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.