In a landmark ruling set for Thursday, the fate of the only British soldier charged in the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre will be determined in a Northern Ireland courtroom. Judge Patrick Lynch will deliver the verdict at Belfast Crown Court, deciding whether the former paratrooper, identified only as Soldier F, is guilty of murder and attempted murder during one of the deadliest episodes of sectarian violence known as ‘The Troubles.’ The incident, which occurred on January 20, 1972, in Londonderry (also known as Derry), saw 13 people killed and 15 wounded when British troops opened fire on unarmed civilians during a civil rights march. Soldier F, whose identity remains protected to prevent retaliation, is accused of killing two individuals and attempting to kill five others. The event has become a symbol of the conflict between Catholic supporters of a united Ireland and Protestant factions loyal to the United Kingdom. While the 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended the violence, tensions persist. Families of the victims continue to seek justice, while supporters of army veterans argue that investigations have unfairly targeted them. Soldier F, who did not testify in his defense, claimed in a 2016 police interview that he had no ‘reliable recollection’ of the events but was certain he had fulfilled his duties. Defense lawyer Mark Mulholland criticized the prosecution’s case as ‘fundamentally flawed,’ citing reliance on unreliable witnesses and fading memories. The prosecution, however, argued that Soldier F and his comrades acted without justification, intending to kill. The case has been marred by delays and setbacks since the 2010 Saville Inquiry, which overturned an earlier exoneration of the troops and paved the way for Soldier F’s prosecution. Former Prime Minister David Cameron previously described the killings as ‘unjustified and unjustifiable.’ Soldier F has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Judge to rule in 1972 Bloody Sunday murder case against former British soldier
