19/12/2001

Court of Appeal supports Saville inquiry soldiers

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the former British soldiers will not have to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Northern Ireland.

The decision handed down on Wednesday means that the Saville Inquiry ruling that called on former British soldiers to give evidence in Londonderry has been overturned.

The head of the inquiry tribunal, Lord Saville, said that he would now be carefully considering the decision from the Court of Appeal in London.

Representatives of the former British soldiers had argued that they would be at risk of terrorist attack if they were forced to travel to Derry to give their evidence to the Bloody Sunday tribunal.

Lawyers acting for the armed forces witnesses told the Court of Appeal in London that there was a higher risk of terrorist reprisals in the province than on the British mainland. (SP)

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