77 Troubles deaths in England remain unsolved, UK home office says
By Jonathan McCambridge, PA
The killings of at least 77 people in England during the Troubles remain unsolved, the UK home office has said.
Just under half of the deaths involve members of the armed forces.
The figures were released as MPs are set to debate and vote on the UK government’s new legacy legislation later on Tuesday.
The Bill includes plans for a commission to investigate Troubles-related killings and a separate information recovery body.
The Home Office is aware of a number of unsolved attacks which took place in towns and cities across England
A statement said: “The Home Office is aware of a number of unsolved attacks which took place in towns and cities across England.
“These attacks resulted in 77 deaths, including of 39 British armed forces personnel.
“In addition to those killed, over 1,000 people were injured in the attacks.”
The unsolved attacks include:
– The 1974 IRA bombing of a coach on the M62 carrying off-duty British Army personnel and their family members, which killed 12 people and injured 38.
– The assassinations in 1979 and 1990 of MPs Airey Neave and Ian Gow, both in car bombings.
– The 1993 IRA bombing of the shopping district of Warrington in which two children, Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball, were killed and 56 injured.
– The IRA bombings in Guildford (1974), Birmingham (1974) and Manchester (1996).
All UK police investigations into Troubles-related killings were shut down in May last year under the previous government’s Legacy Act, and a new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was established.
The new Troubles Bill, agreed as part of a framework with the Irish Government, will put in place a reformed Legacy Commission with enhanced powers.
The UK government is also repealing an immunity scheme which was part of the previous Legacy Act, but which was ruled unlawful in the courts.
The Home Office said in addition to the 77 unsolved deaths in England, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had shut down more than 1,000 investigations, including 225 investigations into deaths of soldiers and veterans.
The statement added: “This means there are unsolved deaths across the UK of at least 1,077 individuals, including 264 armed forces personnel.”
Dan Jarvis, security minister, and a former member of the Parachute Regiment who served in Northern Ireland, said: “When the Provisional IRA brought their campaign of terror to England from the early 1970s they killed and injured innocent people in our towns and cities, including many members of our armed forces.
“The last government’s Legacy Act shut down police investigations and proposed immunity for terrorists.
“This left many families feeling they had nowhere to go to continue their search for justice, or simply for answers about what happened to their loved ones.
“This Government’s legislation will put that right.
“It guarantees no terrorist will be able to claim immunity from prosecution, while ensuring there is an effective and wholly independent Legacy Commission to conduct investigations that families right across the United Kingdom can have confidence in.”
It is expected that some MPs from Northern Ireland will introduce proposed amendments to the new legacy Bill when it reaches committee stage.
