General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley, a former commander of the British Army, claimed the findings were released as part of a conspiracy to portray the soldiers involved as murderers.

The evidence is part of the new inquiry into the shooting dead of 13 Catholics at a civil rights march in Londonderry in 1972 by the British Army Parachute Regiment.

The inquiry's independent experts say that evidence presented to the first inquiry, which alleged that several of the dead had been in contact with firearms residue, was worthless.

The findings also suggest that some of the 14 people killed had handled firearms, and that it is very likely one of those killed was shot while lying on the ground.

Sir Anthony told the BBC: "It is all part of a long-running public relations exercise to work public opinion up in favour of saying that the soldiers were all murderers and nothing was done wrong by the people on the other side.

"It is piecemeal evidence and should await full examination in relation to all the other evidence.

"I am sure the Army and Ministry of Defence will not attempt to fudge any evidence and will not attempt to hold anything back."

Lawyers for the relatives of the Bloody Sunday dead said the new reports were a damning indictment of the Widgery Inquiry, which carried out the first investigation into the killings.

But supporters of the soldiers involved in the shooting are concerned that solicitors representing the victims' families are trying to win a public relations battle, by leaking details before the inquiry begins formal hearings next March.

Lord Saville: Heading new Bloody Sunday Tribunal

The new reports were given to lawyers for the families four days ago, and were released at a news conference in Derry on Thursday.

Inquiry experts said the original evidence is nullified by a lack of control testing, and the likelihood of spurious contamination.

They also raise the possibility that one of the dead was shot with a bullet which had been deliberately weakened, to enhance the possibility for fragmentation.

The shootings took place during a march in Derry's nationalist Bogside area, where protesters were objecting to internment without trial. The soldiers claimed they had been fired on as they moved to make arrests.