Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire blasts ‘wrong’ Troubles troops probes
Brokenshire pointed out that '90 per cent of the killings' during the fraught period were committed by IRA terrorists - not the Brit troops being investigated
A WITCH-hunt probe targeting British troops over killings during The Troubles is today branded “wrong” by the Northern Ireland Secretary.
James Brokenshire MP blasted the unfair way current investigations appear “focused” on the actions of British security forces – while ignoring those carried out by terrorists.
He said: “I share the frustration and anger of many people that the current structures for looking at the past seemingly focus almost entirely on former soldiers and police officers.
“This is wrong and needs to change.”
He added: “The new bodies will be fair, balanced and proportionate.
“This means that their main focus will be on the terrorists who committed 90 per cent of the killings in the troubles – not on the brave men and women of the security forces.”
A Historical Enquiries Team – set up to probe over 3,200 unsolved murders – has failed to investigate terror deaths, sparking widespread outrage.
Insiders say Brokenshire – who became Secretary of State for Northern Ireland last summer – has been working for months to try and redress the balance, but progress has been slow.
He spoke out after The Sun revealed all 302 killing by British troops during Northern Ireland’s 30 years of The Troubles were being investigated afresh.
Fears are rife as many as 1,000 ex-servicemen, many now in their 60s and 70s, could be considered manslaughter or murder suspects in the witch hunt.
That includes a 67-year-old retired grandad now being probed for killing IRA hitman Joe McCann in 1972.
Meanwhile terrorists have been given pardons and others handed “letters of comfort” by Tony Blair guaranteeing they would never face prosecution.
In a New Year’s message penned for Sun readers Brokenshire pledged to continue working to ensure Northern Ireland’s “painful past” is investigated more fairly.
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He said: “I had hoped that more progress would have been achieved on addressing the painful issues of Northern Ireland’s past.
“The Government remains fully committed to the new legacy bodies in the Stormont House Agreement.
“We are fully engaged with political parties and victims’ groups to build the consensus to implement them.
“I will continue to seek a way forward with all sides. We have made progress. I will never, though, compromise the first duty of the Government to ensure that no individuals are put at risk and to keep people safe and secure.”