Government to challenge Clonoe ruling
The Government intends to challenge a ruling that SAS soldiers were not justified in killing four IRA members in a 1992 ambush in Co Tyrone, according to an MP.
Last month, coroner Mr Justice Michael Humphreys found that the soldiers did not have an honest belief in the necessity of using lethal force.
Four Provisional IRA members – Kevin Barry O'Donnell, 21, Sean O'Farrell, 23, Peter Clancy, 19, and Daniel Vincent, 20 – were shot dead by the soldiers minutes after they had carried out a gun attack on Coalisland RUC station in February 1992.
In his ruling, Mr Justice Humphreys said that no attempt was made by the soldiers to arrest any of the members of the IRA unit, and the operation was not planned and controlled in a way to minimise to the 'greatest extent possible' the need to use lethal force.
Clonoe update: I'm delighted to confirm that, after I wrote to the Defence Secretary on 12th February urging him to judicially review the NI Coroner's Clonoe verdict of 'unlawful killing' by British soldiers, the MoD will now be taking action. Very welcome news for our veterans. pic.twitter.com/q2yIz4o8sl
— James Cartlidge MP 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 (@jcartlidgemp) March 21, 2025
On Saturday, Conservative MP James Cartlidge said he had received confirmation from Veterans Minister Alistair Carns that the Government would challenge the findings.
Mr Cartlidge had called on the Government to seek a judicial review into in the inquest ruling.
In his reply which the opposition MP shared on X, Mr Carns states that the Ministry of Defence has issued a pre-action protocol letter to the coroner, which sets out the legal basis for the application for a judicial review.
He said: 'I have also agreed to the MoD funding the Specialist Military Unit veterans' judicial review of the findings, this is expected to run adjacent to MoD's application.
'The veterans involved have been, and continue to be, offered welfare and legal support.'
The minister added: 'As a veteran, I am deeply proud of the members of the armed forces who, along with police officers and members of the security services, sought to protect communities and peace in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and recognise the difficult choices they faced in extremely challenging operations.
'We owe a great deal to them, and I will continue to champion their cause as we deal with Northern Ireland's legacy.'
Mr Cartlidge said he was 'delighted' with the development, adding that it would be welcomed by veterans.
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