[ad_1]
An inquest has dominated using deadly power by SAS troopers was unjustified once they opened hearth killing 4 IRA males in an ambush at Clonoe in County Tyrone.
Kevin Barry O’Donnell, 21, Sean O’Farrell, 23, Peter Clancy, 19, and Daniel Vincent, 20, died in February 1992, minutes after they’d carried out a gun assault on Coalisland police station.
The troopers opened hearth as the boys arrived at St Patrick’s Church automobile park in a hijacked lorry which had a heavy machine gun welded to its tailgate.
Security forces had intelligence the automobile park can be used and 12 troopers had been in place behind a hedgerow.
They opened hearth with out warning when the lorry drove in – firing greater than 500 rounds.
In statements on the time, the troopers acknowledged using deadly power was justified to guard their lives and people of their colleagues from the hazard the IRA unit offered.
However, coroner Mr Justice Michael Humphries discovered using deadly power can not have been affordable.
He mentioned there was no try and arrest the 4 IRA males, at the same time as they lay wounded.
Mr Justice Humphries added that state companies had “perpetuated falsehoods” in regards to the incident, having claimed on the time there had been a gun battle.
In truth, the IRA males had not fired on the troopers.
He referred to a Ministry of Defence doc which had referred to the operation as “an excellent security forces success”.
[ad_2]
