New Inquest Opens Into Ballymurphy Massacre

A new inquest into 10 fatal shootings that took place in west Belfast 47 years ago is due to begin today, Monday 12 November.

Known to many as the Ballymurphy Massacre, nine men and one woman, a mother of eight, were killed over three days in August 1971.

A priest was among those shot dead as he tried to help the wounded. Another man later died of a heart attack following an alleged violent confrontation with the Parachute Regiment troops, who are believed to have been involved in the killings, in the west Belfast estate of Ballymurphy.

The shootings happened during an Army operation known as Operation Demetrius in which paramilitary suspects were detained without trial, in the wake of Stormont's introduction of internment.

At the time, the Army said those killed were either IRA gunmen, or were caught in the crossfire between soldiers and paramilitaries.

The families of those who died say they believe the evidence which will be heard during the inquest will show their relatives were in fact innocent and were targeted deliberately.

As the fresh inquest gets underway, the first two weeks will hear impact statements from the families of those killed. Evidence will then begin to be heard on 28 November.

In 2011, Northern Ireland's Attorney General John Larkin directed that new inquests be carried out after a long campaign by family members, who claim the original coronial probes in the immediate aftermath of the shootings were inadequate.

Soldiers have long been held responsible for killing all 10 people in Ballymurphy between August 9 and August 11 1971, but the accepted narrative was called into question earlier this year when former members of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force claimed their organisation was also involved.

Coroner Ms Justice Siobhan Keegan confirmed the inquests would proceed as scheduled on Monday during a final preparatory hearing in Belfast last week.



(JG)