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Ireland to release Bloody Sunday dossier

Twenty five years ago, British paratroopers shot dead 14 civilians during a civil rights demonstration in Londonderry. Since then, Republicans, Loyalists and the governments in London and Dublin have argued about who is to blame for the killings.

The Irish Government passed the new information to the British Government earlier this year. The evidence is reportedly based on two recent television documentaries and a new book drawing on hundreds of witness accounts.

But Dublin is now getting impatient, and wants action. The Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, said the British government had had a great deal of time and space to consider the matter. He said the investigation could not be conducted behind closed doors forever.

Mr Ahern said he would publish the material early next year, whether or not Britain launched a fresh inquiry, so that public opinion in both countries could decide on the appropriate action.

Mr Ahern was speaking at the annual dinner of his Fianna Fail party in Dublin.

On Wednesday, the Ulster politician John Hume had tackled the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, about the new evidence during Prime Minister's question time.

As relatives of the victims of the massacre looked on from the gallery, Mr Blair gave a guarantee that all the new evidence would be thoroughly examined.

Mr Ahern, who had talks with Mr Blair on ways of advancing the Northern Ireland peace process last week, is expected to return to the Bloody Sunday issue when the two meet again in two weeks time.

The killings have long been the cause of anger and resentment within the nationalist community in Northern Ireland.

The Widgery tribunal into the shootings largely exonerated the British troops involved. Republicans, however, derided the investigation as a whitewash.

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