Bloody Sunday: Soldier F faces murder charges

I happened to be driving through Belfast City centre today and had the news on the radio, I was just driving past the courts as it came on the radio that a not guilty verdict was announced. Literally the same second it was surreal.
There was some amount of people, media and police standing outside.
20 minutes later I was heading back to work and drove past the families of the victims walking back from court to go home.
Was very sad for them.
 
I remember as a teenager still at school the shock when this happened. It was pre internet days of course and no 24/7 news channels or mobile phones, so the only footage was from MSM news channels.
I do remember reading before the incident that the paras had been deployed to get tough and sort the rising unrest out. This was of course fitting with their training and reputation.
Something must have gone badly wrong that day in communication and control for it to turn out how it did. Crazy looking back now.
 
SWP's back said:
The victims and their families, of every single bombing probably fall into this category also.
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Well yeah I’d imagine so for people who died in bombings - I didn’t specify only one side in my comment.

I also think the Troubles reconciliation act breaks the ECHR but that seems like it’ll be moot soon anyway with the way things are going.
 
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manclad said:
That's exactly the reaction that I expected.
South Africa had a reconciliation process after the end of Apartheid in the 1990s, otherwise the trials for crimes committed by both the state and on the other side,the ANC would have gone on forever.
It's called "forgive and forget" , instead of constantly harping on about something that happened over half a century ago.
Anyway, the main thing is that soldier F has been cleared and can now get on with the remainder of his life.
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As I remember there were a lot of IRA members pardoned for there bombings and shootings a forgive and forget policy
 
BlueRockape said:
As I remember there were a lot of IRA members pardoned for there bombings and shootings a forgive and forget policy
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Yes pal, April 1998 (the GFA) was the start of a reconciliation process for all parties involved in "the troubles".
That was for paramilitaries/ terrorists from both communities and the security forces (RUC and the British Army).
Except the authorities seem to have forgotten about the amnesty for the British Army and began to pursue charges against a few British soldiers.
Truly disgraceful behaviour from the public prosecutors and a huge waste of time and money.
 
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manclad said:
Yes pal, April 1998 (the GFA) was the start of a conciliation process for all parties involved in "the troubles".
That was for paramilitaries/ terrorists from both communities and the security forces (RUC and the British Army).
Except the authorities seem to have forgotten about the amnesty for the British Army and began to pursue charges against a few British soldiers.
Truly disgraceful behaviour from the public prosecutors and a huge waste of time and money.
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Exactly
If you are going to forgive and forget it has to be on both sides.
Saying that that what both sides did was disgusting.
After serving four tours in the aftermath wasn't fun either
 
manclad said:
Yes pal, April 1998 (the GFA) was the start of a reconciliation process for all parties involved in "the troubles".
That was for paramilitaries/ terrorists from both communities and the security forces (RUC and the British Army).
Except the authorities seem to have forgotten about the amnesty for the British Army and began to pursue charges against a few British soldiers.
Truly disgraceful behaviour from the public prosecutors and a huge waste of time and money.
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BlueRockape said:
Exactly
If you are going to forgive and forget it has to be on both sides.
Saying that that what both sides did was disgusting.
After serving four tours in the aftermath wasn't fun either
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IrishBlueSince92 said:
Both sides did get out of prison on the early release scheme under the GFA

There were loyalist terrorists too
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Just to highlight AGAIN...those who were released under the GFA had been investigated, charged and convicted of their offences...they faced justice and released (after serving at least 2 years in prison) under strict terms...as agreed and approved by approximately 80% of the population, by referendum. So they didnt "get away with it"....those convictions still exist on their record, they were NOT amnestied or pardoned.

There was NO amnesty for UNTRIED suspects

Those involved in this case havent faced justice, until now.

For there to be any "forgive and forget" there needs to be accountability and subsequently, justice.


Do you think, especially considering the admissions in the inquiry, that those soldiers should not have faced the justice system? If you do, then its not disgraceful behavior by the prosecutors and not a waster of money.....if you dont think they should have faced justice it would be good to know why.
 
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I see a lot of posters in this thread who are otherwise concerned about authoritarian overreach, rightfully so, apparently taking the position that a soldier who needlessly kills and injures protestors shouldn't be charged.

As far as the GFA goes, Soldier F would have been out of prison 27 years ago, at the latest, had he been charged by the British government at the time. The crown chose to let him walk so here we are. As other posters have mentioned, lawlessness in government breeds lawlessness in the street and Bloody Sunday made a bad situation much worse.

To me these aren't complicated concepts unless you want to twist yourself into knots trying to argue that someone who kills innocent people shouldn't be charged because he plays for your side, wears a uniform etc.
 
AlexWilliamsGloves said:
Just to highlight AGAIN...those who were released under the GFA had been investigated, charged and convicted of their offences...they faced justice and released (after serving at least 2 years in prison) under strict terms...as agreed and approved by approximately 80% of the population, by referendum. So they didnt "get away with it"....those convictions still exist on their record, they were NOT amnestied or pardoned.

There was NO amnesty for UNTRIED suspects

Those involved in this case havent faced justice, until now.

For there to be any "forgive and forget" there needs to be accountability and subsequently, justice.


Do you think, especially considering the admissions in the inquiry, that those soldiers should not have faced the justice system? If you do, then its not disgraceful behavior by the prosecutors and not a waster of money.....if you dont think they should have faced justice it would be good to know why.
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They faced justice,and were found innocent.
( Which is how British justice works).
Case dismissed your honour.
 
manclad said:
They faced justice,and were found innocent.
( Which is how British justice works).
Case dismissed your honour.
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Im not disagreeing with the fact he was found not guilty. Im taking issue with your suggestion that he/they should never have been tried at all....despite the simple facts "he" made admissions and that "they" killed 14 people. Im genuinely baffled how you can think that does not require investigation and those families get proper answers to the killing of their innocent loved ones....although tbh, i think your dismissive and flippant replies means youre just doubling down.

Mr C hasnt long left to live, so theres that
 
AlexWilliamsGloves said:
Im not disagreeing with the fact he was found not guilty. Im taking issue with your suggestion that he/they should never have been tried at all....despite the simple facts "he" made admissions and that "they" killed 14 people. Im genuinely baffled how you can think that does not require investigation and those families get proper answers to the killing of their innocent loved ones....although tbh, i think your dismissive and flippant replies means youre just doubling down.

Mr C hasnt long left to live, so theres that
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It's the length of time between the actual events in January 1972 and his trial in September/October 2025 that most people object to.
Over half a century for what was ultimately a futile and wasteful persecution of an innocent man.
As regards to being flippant, you should take a look at your previous post comparing the Sarah Everard protests to Bloody Sunday.
One was a few hundred women shouting,chanting and waving placards around.
Bloody Sunday and other riots in Ulster at that time had gangs of rioters using petrol bombs as deadly weapons, and PIRA terrorists using Armalite rifles to snipe at security forces.
No wonder the army returned fire.
Anyway, there is no reasoning with you, so I'm out of this thread and putting you on block.
Bye.
 
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