Inquest finds SAS used reasonable force
SAS soldiers at the centre of shoot-to-kill allegations used reasonable force against two IRA men killed in Co Armagh, an inquest has found.
Dessie Grew and Martin McCaughey were shot dead close to farm buildings in Loughgall in October 1990 when troops opened fire on them.
Grew, 37, was shot as he lay wounded, and security forces had faced allegations that they secretly planned to kill IRA members without any attempt to arrest them.
On Thursday the Ministry of Defence said the soldiers had acted in a controlled and professional way.
“We welcome the decision of the jury who clearly found that the soldiers involved acted in a controlled and professional way when faced with a grave threat to their lives,” said MOD spokesman Ken Johnston.
Grew and 23-year-old McCaughey arrived at the shed – which was under surveillance – shortly after midnight on 9 October 1990, armed with AK47s and wearing gloves and balaclavas.
One of the soldiers who opened fire said he felt his and his colleagues lives were in danger, while others returned fire at sparks coming from their own bullets, which they believed were muzzle flashes from IRA members.
But it emerged that Grew and McCaughey had not fired any shots and questions were raised over why the already injured Grew was shot at close quarters.
During the hearings at the Laganside courts complex, soldiers testified anonymously form behind a curtain and were cross-examined by the bereaved families’ legal team.
The inquest jury found the deaths took place at a time when IRA attacks on security forces were at a high level and the IRA men had put their own lives in danger by being close to a stolen car, wearing masks and carrying guns.
