Ministry of Defence chiefs order Army personnel not to back SAS veterans who face murder charges for killing IRA terrorists
Defence chiefs are being accused of trying to stop the Army supporting SAS veterans who face murder charges for killing IRA terrorists, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The Ministry of Defence has ordered all regimental HQs and serving military personnel not to support a petition calling for Northern Ireland veterans to be protected against prosecution.
The move by the MoD comes after we revealed last month that up to 20 SAS veterans could face murder charges for shooting armed IRA terrorists in the early 1990s.
In an email, the MoD said: 'With immediate effect please ensure that all of your communication channels (including Twitter /X etc) remove any feeds related to the NI Troubles Act announcement and any associated petitions.'
The email added that the MoD would provide advice on 'what is and is not acceptable to communicate and the apolitical stance we are expected to take'.
The petition, which has more than 100,000 signatures, was launched after the SAS Association wrote to all regiments urging them to contact their MPs and consider a day of mass protest in support of veterans facing prosecution.
Labour has angered a huge number of veterans after its decision to axe the Legacy Act, which offers protection for UK troops who served during the Troubles.
The legislation, introduced by the Tories, was supposed to end historical inquests and prevent new civil cases from being launched.
Tory MP David Davis said: 'Veterans' voices must not be silenced by bureaucratic interference – 722 British soldiers were killed by paramilitary murderers during The Troubles. Not one of those deaths will be revisited.'
He said in Parliament that veterans faced 'politically motivated trials', adding: 'I can think of no better example of two-tier justice.'
One Army source added: 'This is an unprecedented intervention by the MoD, which is trying to gag serving members of Armed Forces.
'The response from the MoD is extraordinary. The MoD says that supporting veterans facing prosecution is political. We fundamentally disagree with that.'
An MoD spokesman said: 'As the public would expect, official social media channels must comply with guidance, including impartiality and neutrality. Non-official accounts are free to post what they wish.'
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