Ex-Army chief admits: We DID shoot at civilians

A DECORATED former Army chief denied yesterday that he ‘encouraged brutal behaviour’ during a notorious Troubles riot.

Sir Geoffrey Howlett, 89, commanded paratroopers who killed civilians in Ballymurphy, Belfast, during three days of bloodshed.

He appeared before an inquest into the deaths of ten victims, seven of whom were allegedly killed by the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment. Another battalion will be questioned over the other deaths.

Sir Geoffrey said he did not see ‘disgraceful or illegal’ behaviour by his troops in Belfast, and denounced a claim that the battalion was overrun by ‘bullies and psychopaths’ as ‘close to cloud cuckooland’.

However, he admitted for the first time that some victims were not suspected IRA terrorists.

His soldiers were deployed to Ballymurphy to detain suspected IRA members under the controversial internment regime, which amounted to detention without trial.

It led to protests, during which soldiers repeatedly fired live rounds, claiming they had come under fire.

The dead included a mother of eight and a priest giving a wounded man the last rites. At Belfast Coroner’s Court yesterday, Sir Geoffrey, a lieutenant- colonel at the time, became the most senior military official in recent years to be called to give evidence into alleged historic crimes in Northern Ireland.

He said of the rioting: ‘I don’t think any of us realised the day of internment and the next day or two would turn out to be such a rebellious period with as much rioting, shooting, petrol and nail-bombing.

‘The situation went from rioting to a full-blown battle. It was very busy. The busiest day of my life.’

Speaking of the ten victims, he admitted: ‘I now say I realise that most, if not all, were not IRA.’

Asked if he knew of or encouraged brutal behaviour, he replied: ‘Absolute rubbish. It is totally contrary to anything I have done in my life.’

The stress of facing murder charges over Bloody Sunday could kill elderly former paratroopers, their lawyer warned yesterday.

Philip Barden said: ‘One is heavily disabled and has had a series of strokes. He can’t walk. Another has had a heart attack. Obviously, the stress of this might kill him.’

Ex-members of 1 Para will learn on Thursday whether they are to be prosecuted over the deaths of 13 civilians in Londonderry on January 30, 1972. A 14th died months later.