End the witch hunt
Veterans’ anger as ex-soldiers face prosecution over Troubles killings
AROUND 200 military veterans protested in Glasgow yesterday accusing authorities in Northern Ireland of a legal witch hunt against colleagues who served during the Troubles.
They took to the city’s George Square at the same time as a major rally took place in Belfast and another in London.
The Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans group ( JFNIV) organised the protests in response to a number of recent prosecutions of former soldiers in relation to incidents during the region’s sectarian conflict.
The Glasgow event was led by Paisley Comrades Pipe Band and the procession marched to George Square where banners reading “Justice for Northern Ireland veterans” were displayed.
Alan Dalgliesh, 53, who served with the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards between 1979 and 1994, said: “It’s a bit of a witch hunt for me.
“You join up, take your allegiance and you’re doing it for the Government and now they’re backtracking and getting folk for doing their duty.
“It’s just wrong that you’re just waiting for that knock on the door about something that happened years ago which you did as your job.”
Geordie Gaughan, a former sergeant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, served for 10 tours in Northern Ireland and took part in the Glasgow march.
The 76-year-old, from Paisley, said: “This is to show people that the Northern Ireland veterans are being forgotten about by the Government. Everything we want to raise for veterans we have to do through charities and the Legion. We want to make people aware that we’re still here.
“People are here to remember their mates, and we want to tell the Government, ‘We are the veterans and it’s time you did something for us.’”
In Belfast, the rally took placed amid tight security as hardline republicans protested.
The event and counterdemonstration passed off peacefully.
Republican group Saoradh (liberation in Irish) gathered for the counter protests which saw around 200 participants on one side of the police line holding placards accusing soldiers of committing murder during the Troubles.
On the other side, a crowd of around 500 gathered to hear speakers call for an end to what they alleged was unfair treatment of ex-security force members.