Families welcome new Loughgall shooting inquests
New inquests will be held into the fatal shooting of eight IRA men and one civilian in Loughgall, Co Armagh almost 30 years ago.
In what became one of the most controversial cases of the Troubles, undercover SAS soldiers killed eight members of the IRA’s East Tyrone unit on 8 May, 1987 as they approached Loughgall RUC station with a bomb in a hijacked digger.
The IRA men shot were Jim Lynagh, Padraig McKearney, Gerard O’Callaghan, Tony Gormley, Eugene Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Seamus Donnelly and Declan Arthurs.
A civilian, Anthony Hughes, was also killed and his brother badly wounded when they were caught up in the gunfire.
The Government had asked the Advocate General for Northern Ireland Jeremy Wright QC to decide if new probes should be undertaken into the shootings.
Mr Wright, who is a law officer independent of Government, said: “Following careful consideration of a huge amount of material I have come to the decision that new inquests into the Loughgall deaths are justified.
“The new inquests will establish who has died, and how, when and where the death occurred. The Coroners Service for Northern Ireland will now take this forward.”
The families have reacted in a statement released through their solicitor.
Mairead Kelly, sister of Patrick Kelly, welcomed the decision but said it was one which “should have been taken here and not in London by a British politician”.
The statement continued: “We hope the inquests can be established promptly and the families and the coroner are provided with all the information they need.
“We are a step further towards the truth, justice and accountability we seek on behalf of our loved ones.”
