Soldier can’t recall shots being fired on fatal night
Inquest lawyer suggests there was an Army ‘wall of silence’ over 1971 killing
A LEGAL representative for the family of a mother shot dead during an Army operation in Londonderry 50 years ago has suggested to a former soldier that there was “a wall of silence” surrounding the incident.
Kathleen Thompson (47) was killed in disputed circumstances outside her home in Creggan in November 1971.
As the inquest resumed yesterday, Karen Quinlivan QC put it to a former soldier, identified as Soldier KTM 466, that despite there being two witnesses to the soldier who said he fired the shots, identified as Soldiers A and C, no one had been able to identify who these soldiers were.
She asked the witness could it be “possible soldiers are deliberately not helping the coroner”.
The witness replied that he could not answer for anyone else and was “trying to be helpful”.
Earlier, the former soldier said he was “surprised” to hear that shots had been fired during the operation.
He said he had been on the operation on the night of November 5/6 that resulted in Mrs Thompson being shot dead in her back garden.
The former soldier said he had been providing cover for the entry team who were to enter the house to be searched.
He described “nothing unusual” during the operation and added that he had no recall of shots either being fired at them or by them.
The witness accepted that he could be confusing this operation with another one.
He added that he could not recall CS gas being fired nor any ‘green on green’ shooting.
The former soldier said that as the units withdrew, he would have gone down Southway, which he described as a steep hill and that could account for him not hearing any shots.
He said talk of shooting had been on “the jungle drums” but he had no recollection of hearing about Mrs Thompson’s death.
The witness was asked about a training cadre of which he was a member, as was Soldier D, the former soldier who has said he fired the fatal shots.
He said that members of the team doing the course were on the operation that resulted in the death of Mrs Thompson.
The inquest was told by KTM 466 that Soldier D, who was “a leading light”, had left the training course after this incident and, despite asking why, this had never been explained.
When questioned by Ms Quinlivan
QC, for the Thompson family, the witness said there would have been talk about Soldier D leaving the course but no explanation had been given.
The inquest also heard that the counsel for the family had not received the same documents as had been provided to counsel for a soldier who believes he may have fired the fatal shots.
Ms Quinlivan QC said it was “unsatisfactory” that documents were being supplied to legal representatives of KTM 72 that were not supplied to others involved in the inquest.
She said that “it is not right that one party should be given material not given to others”.
Ian Skelt QC, counsel for the coroner, said he would undertake to ensure anything supplied to KTM72 would be given to all interested parties.
The inquest also heard from another former soldier identified as KTM 368 who said he had “no knowledge” of the death. The witness said that he was on the operation on November 5/6 but could not recall shooting or firing of CS gas.
The hearing continues.
A ROW has broken out after Sinn Fein said plans for councillors to visit the Somme to mark the centenary of the Ulster Tower in November was a “distasteful” waste of public money.
It was proposed at a previous meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Council, which is £70m in debt, that it should be represented.
The tower commemorates the service and sacrifice of those from Ireland who died in the Great War.
However, Sinn Fein’s Cara Mcshane said: “I absolutely respect anyone’s right to honour their dead and I think that’s totally respectful, but I think we have found over the last 11 months how we operate has changed dramatically. We are able to do things virtually and the landscape has completely changed.
“I just don’t know that this has been well-thought-out and I would be opposed to it given the current restrictions, that we do not spend public money sending councillors to the Somme. I think it is distasteful use of public resources and us asking people not to travel, and yet encouraging three councillors to go off.”
The UUP’S Darryl Wilson said the plans were being made in line with Covid health rules “and I certainly won’t be taking any lectures from Sinn Fein on adhering to regulations and restrictions”.
The DUP’S George Duddy agreed, adding that the republican party “throughout this pandemic has shown their scant regard for Covid restrictions right across not only this province, but right across the island of Ireland”.
Members voted in favour of the recommendation to send the current mayor, the newly-elected mayor, deputy mayor, the council’s veterans’ champion and the chair of the NI Centenary working group, with 10 votes for and six against.
It will now go to the full council on March 2 for ratification.