SAS ‘justified’ to use lethal force in 1991 IRA ambush
The use of lethal force by SAS soldiers in an ambush that killed three IRA men in Co Tyrone in 1991 was justified, a coroner has ruled.
Mr Justice Michael Humphreys said he was satisfied the use of force was “reasonable” as the soldiers had an honest belief that it was necessary in order to prevent loss of life.
However, the coroner also concluded that the military operation was not planned in a manner which minimised to the greatest extent possible the need for recourse to lethal force.
Peter Ryan, Tony Doris and Lawrence Mcnally were intercepted by SAS soldiers as they drove in a stolen car through Coagh on June 3 1991.
SAS soldiers suspected they intended to murder a member of the security forces.
All three were shot dead in a hail of gunfire.
The inquest was told that up to 150 rounds were fired.
Delivering his verdict in the legacy case, Mr Justice Humphreys said Mcnally died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head and heart, Doris as a result of gunshot wounds to the head and Ryan by a gunshot wound to the chest.
He also ruled that Mcnally and Ryan were shot by Soldier G, while Doris was shot and killed by Soldier B.
The coroner said the three men were members of the East Tyrone brigade of IRA and were on “active service” when they were shot.
He said the background to the case was a “surge of activity” in the area by the East Tyrone IRA.
Mr Justice Humphreys was highly critical of actions by soldiers to destroy a video of the events from a surveillance location.
He said: “There could scarcely have been more probative and significant evidence of the events which unfolded at Coagh than a video taken from close range showing the arrival of the vehicle and the engagement of the soldiers with its occupants.
“If this had been available, it would have rendered the task of the inquest on many of the issues straightforward.
“It would alsohave been of central importance to the RUC, whose role it was to assess whether any crime had been committed by the soldiers.”