‘No evidence of informant’ involved in pub bombings Government denies claims of a cover-up over 1974 atrocity
THE Government says nothing can be found to substantiate a claim that it had an informant involved in the Birmingham pub bombings.
Neither was there anything yet to suggest the state had been involved in a cover-up, a pre-inquest review hearing was told last week.
But the issue was among a number of matters which were still being fully investigated, Peter Skelton QC, said. Mr Skelton, independent counsel to the new inquest into the deaths of 21 people in the attacks, talked about several matters still being investigated.
“There are some loose ends tied up with state organisations,” he told Coroner Peter Thornton QC. There was a suggestion that the state may have covered up advance notification of the bombings and covered up in relation to an informant.
“The question was asked of three government departments in respect of this issue – Defence, Home Office and Commonwealth Affairs. In October the Government’s legal department said all departments had con- ducted searches and nothing of relevance had been found. However, the issue is subject to more discussions and that process is ongoing.”
Another matter under investigation was a suggestion West Midlands Police had ben warned before the attacks, but failed to act. The Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Metropolitan Police and the Prison Service have also been asked for any information they have in connection with the allegation.
Both are likely to be key issues when the scope of the inquest – the areas of the case it will examine in detail – is discussed again at a further inquest review hearing.
Mr Skelton said 20 of the 21 postmortem examination reports on the victims would be circulated to appropriate interested parties, which include the families, but warned that they were ‘bluntly written scientific documents’. “It is appreciated that the recipients may find that distressing,” he added.
Apart from those killed, 182 were injured when bombers attacked two crowded city centre bars on November 21, 1974.
The co-ordinated attack saw The Mulberry Bush, at the Rotunda, and the Tavern In The Town destroyed within minutes of each other. A botched police investigation into the attacks led to the wrongful convictions of the Birmingham Six, one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in British legal history.
West Midlands Police had opposed the resumption of a fresh inquest, but the hearing was given the go-ahead last year by Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Louise Hunt, who said there was a raft of evidence not yet aired in public, including the allegation that police ignored two tip-offs of an imminent IRA attack in the city.
Coroner Mr Thornton said he wanted the full inquest to be held from late September and added: “I want to make it clear that the inquest will be thorough and independent.” He added: “I have a duty to the families and those who died, and to the community of Birmingham, to move forward as promptly as possible.”
The hearing was adjourned until May 31. The coroner said a jury will consider the case.