Army fired 'without reason'

Soldiers are giving evidence at the hearing in London

A former British soldier has told the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that some of his colleagues opened fire on civilians in Londonderry "without justification".

Soldier 027 from the Parachute Regiment said he did not see any gunmen or bombers in the Bogside where the shootings took place.

The soldier is giving his evidence screened from the relatives of those killed, the public and the media.

The tribunal is investigating the events of 30 January 1972 when the parachute regiment fired on civilians at a civil rights march in Derry, killing 13 men and boys. Another man died later.

Lord Saville: Second inquiry was set up because of conflicting accounts

In his statement to the inquiry, the soldier said just two soldiers were probably responsible for eight or 10 of the deaths.

He recalled that one colleague was "exuberant" as a display of firepower was unleashed against civilians.

Soldier 027's account is hotly contested with most of the soldiers expected to insist they only fired at gunmen or bombers or when they felt that they or their colleagues were at risk, when they give their evidence.

He said one of his colleagues began firing, "without hesitation," towards the centre of a crowd behind a rubble barricade in Rossville Street where six people were killed.

Unspeakable acts took place on Bloody Sunday

Soldier 027

He recalled one soldier running up beside him and pushing between two soldiers who were firing so that he could begin firing himself.

"He indicated to me that he thought what was happening was great. He was exuberant," Soldier 027 said.

"I looked through my sights, scanning across the crowd. I was as keen to find a target as anyone, but I just could not identify a target that appeared to justify engaging.

"I did not see anyone with a weapon or see or hear an explosive device."

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Soldier 027 also described following two soldiers into the nearby Glenfada Park area where four people were killed.

He said they started shooting before he arrived but that the firing continued in Glenfada even though the crowd who had been trying to get away posed no threat.

He also said he did not see any guns or bombs in this area.

Screened from the public the witness arrived at the inquiry

The paratroops, believing they could be attacked by IRA gunmen, were psyched up for battle, he said.

A briefing held the Saturday evening had left the soldiers remarking how they could be "getting kills" the following day, he said.

He added: "Unspeakable acts took place on Bloody Sunday."

"There was no justification for a single shot I saw fired."

It is expected Soldier 027 will be presented with a statement he made to the Royal Military Police a few days after Bloody Sunday in which he said he saw a gunman in Rossville Street and a petrol bomber in Glenfada Park.

His explanation for this is that he did not want to "stick his neck out" in 1972 and was influenced by the other soldiers.

'Statements fabricated'

He also said sections of the statement in which he referred to seeing a gunman and a petrol bomber were fabricated in order to put the other paras in "a better light".

He will also be shown a statement made in preparation for the Widgery Tribunal in which he also referred to seeing a gunman and a petrol bomber.

Soldier 027 has said that a lawyer ripped up his statement when he told him about the paras firing towards the centre of the crowd at the barricade and that he returned with this statement for him to sign.

Parts of this statement have also been fabricated to add justification for the shooting by the soldiers, Soldier 027 has said.

He was not called to give evidence to the Widgery Tribunal.

Soldier 027 has been listed to give his evidence to the Saville Inquiry over a four day period.

During that time it is expected that he will face vigorous questioning by the barristers representing the vast majority of the soldiers.

Conflicting accounts

The inquiry has been sitting in Derry, but was moved to London to hear evidence from military witnesses following court action in which they argued they could be targeted by dissident republicans if they had to travel to Northern Ireland.

The Army has always maintained that it was fired on by IRA gunmen before it opened fired and this view was upheld by the Widgery Inquiry, held shortly after the shootings.

The relatives of those killed and injured have always denied that the Army were fired on before they opened fire.

Soldier 027 said he would only testify if he was protected against any possible reprisals.

When the current Saville Inquiry began in 1998, the soldier was placed under a witness protection programme, with the Northern Ireland Office, which pays him £1,400 a month in lieu of wages.

This arrangement is due to end when he finishes giving his evidence.

The Saville Inquiry was set up by Prime Minister Tony Blair to reinvestigate the evidence because the relatives felt the first inquiry was a whitewash.

Lord Saville and the Commonwealth judges who comprise the inquiry, are not expected to report back until 2004.