Ballymurphy Soldier Denies He 'Embellished' Evidence

A soldier who shot a man dead in Ballymurphy in 1971 has been accused of embellishing his account of events.

The ex-Royal Engineer, who has been granted anonymity and is referred to as M3 during the inquest, was giving evidence at Belfast Coroner's Court on Tuesday 04 December as part of the probe into the death of Eddie Doherty, 31.

The father-of-four died after he was shot close to a barricade in west Belfast on 10th August 1971.

Ten people died during several days of shooting in the area from 9th-11th August.

M3 gave evidence that he fired a single shot at a man who had thrown two petrol bombs at him and had been preparing to throw a third.

He also testified that he saw a man with a gun in the area, and fired a "burst of four shots" in his direction.

Counsel for the Doherty family, Fiona Doherty QC, accused the former soldier of embellishing evidence to justify his actions, pointing to inconsistencies between a number of statements he made over the years.

"I am going to suggest to you that you are aware the more aggressive and belligerent this person seems to be from your account, the more support there will be for your decision to open fire," she said.

He denied this was the case.

The inquest previously heard M3 agree that it was possible the shot fired had not hit the man with the petrol bomb, but a bystander instead.

The victim's family have repeatedly asserted their belief that he was innocent and spoken of their determination to "clear his name".

On the date in question, M3 had been tasked to clear a barricade on the Whiterock Road and arrived with a number of soldiers from the Parachute Regiment to a hostile crowd who he said threw missiles at him.

He was taken to hospital after receiving a blow to the head when a missile struck his tractor.

He was not seriously injured.

The shootings took place as the British Army advanced on republican strongholds to arrest IRA suspects after the Stormont administration introduced the controversial policy of internment without trial.

Fresh inquests were directed into the death of 10 people at Ballymurphy following claims that the original coronial probes were inadequate.

The inquest continues.



(JG)