A decision to rule out protecting ex-troops from being hounded over decades-old allegations has been condemned as ‘closed-minded’ by a group of MPs.
Members of the Defence Committee have criticised the Northern Ireland Secretary for issuing a ‘blanket rejection’ of their call for a time limit on allegations.
The proposals were intended to protect former members of the Armed Forces from allegations of wrongdoing during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Up to 1,000 ex-soldiers, many in their 60s and 70s, are potential murder or manslaughter suspects over historical killings at the height of the IRA’s campaign.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has sparked anger by re-examining every single British Army killing during the Troubles. There is outrage that hundreds of elderly UK veterans will be put through another ordeal.
Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said there would be ‘considerable legal difficulties’ in protecting troops
In a letter to the Defence Committee, Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said there would be ‘considerable legal difficulties’ in implementing legislation that would protect troops.
She said there were fears a time limit, or statute of limitation, would also ‘inevitably be extended to terrorists’ and afford them the same protections. She also said: ‘Another widely held concern in Northern Ireland is that a statute of limitations would, however unwittingly, play into the hands of those who wish to re-write the history of the Troubles and portray their actions as a legitimate “armed struggle”.
‘Those who wish to portray the British state as the oppressors and the Armed Forces as human rights abusers – still language used by dissident republicans in Northern Ireland to boost recruitment, and who continue to pose a severe threat – will seize on this immediately as evidence that the state has things to hide and which it wants to cover up.’ But she acknowledged that the ‘current system of addressing the past is not working well for anyone’.
Responding to her letter, the chairman of the Defence Committee Dr Julian Lewis said it appeared that ‘a cycle of further investigation and re-investigation’ was favoured and criticised her ‘blanket rejection’.
He said: ‘Unfortunately, the Secretary of State’s letter is unsatisfactory and seems to be an attempt by the Northern Ireland Office to shut down debate on this important topic. This is particularly evident in the closed-minded approach towards a statute of limitation.’
Dr Lewis said the minister’s decision was in ‘stark contrast’ to the recent announcement by Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, to establish a dedicated team at the Ministry of Defence to consider what legal protections can be afforded to serving and former members of the Armed Forces. Mr Williamson recently came under fire for backing pardons for IRA killers as a price to end the witch-hunt of British troops.
Dr Julian Lewis (right) said the minister’s decision was in ‘stark contrast’ to the recent announcement by Gavin Williamson
He was slapped down by Downing Street for suggesting republican terrorists should be granted an amnesty in exchange for the same protection to Northern Ireland veterans.
All 302 killings by troops in the Troubles are being reviewed. One Army veteran, 77-year-old Dennis Hutchings, is facing attempted murder charges over the fatal shooting of a man in Northern Ireland in June 1974.
Alan Barry, an army campaigner who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, said Karen Bradley’s decision ‘doesn’t surprise’ him.
The 53-year-old army veteran said: ‘It doesn’t surprise me. We asked for a meeting with Karen Bradley about this issue months ago but she didn’t even have the courtesy to reply.
‘Karen Bradley has about as much use as a chocolate firecracker. If you put her in front of a fire she’d melt. What qualifications has she got? Absolutely zero. I am appalled at the treatment of army veterans by the Northern Ireland government.’