Veterans Seek Fair Process, Not Immunity

0:00On May 1st, Northern Ireland's Veterans Commissioner, David Johnstone, just made it clear, former soldiers aren't pushing for blanket immunity in, troubles error cases. They want a fair process that considers the full context, especially after a coroner's inquest ruled the Army's force unreasonable in the 19th, 72 Spring Hill shootings that killed five civilians. That inquest looked at deaths in West Belfast, where soldiers shot Effor Noel Fitzpatrick, 42. Patrick Butler, 37, 15-year-old. David McCafferty, 16-year-old John Dougal, and 13-year-old Margaret Gargan. The coroner said, troops lost control and overreacted to threats. Johnstone argues coroner's inquests aren't ideal for these legacy cases, as they don't capture the bigger picture. Meanwhile, Sinfen MP Paul Maskey praised the findings for backing families who say their loved ones were innocent victims shot without cause. This comes amid big changes to the Legacy Act, passed in 2023 by the Conservatives.

1:02It offered conditional immunity for troubles crimes, but faced huge backlash, got partly ruled unlawful, and now labor-scrapping it for a new. Framework without amnesties. Pressures building from all sides for balance vets against vexatious prosecutions, families dead set against soldier immunity. The new bill is delayed by politics, but talks between UK and Irish governments keep pushing for a path forward that heals old wounds without picking.