§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the murder of the police officer in Aughnacloy and why the Army was unable to prevent the murder and apprehend the men involved.
§ Mr. MasonAt half-past eight on the morning of Wednesday 6th July a routine police patrol was ambushed in the main street of Aughnacloy in Co. Tyrone. A constable was shot dead and his two companions were wounded, one seriously.
Before the shooting, an Army patrol in the vicinity of the road from the Border 201W to Aughnacloy observed the vehicle, which later turned out to be the one used by the terrorists; but, at nearly 500 metres distance from where the vehicle was standing, the patrol saw nothing that gave any cause for suspicion. No Army personnel witnessed the shooting itself.
The local Army commander in Aughnacloy, on being informed by the police of the murder, immediately despatched his reaction force in pursuit of the terrorists along the road back to the border. To ensure that they did not become involved in cross-fire with the patrol near to the border he instructed the latter by radio not to attempt to intercept the gunmen. In the event the reaction force narrowly missed making contact with the terrorists before they escaped across the border.
I understand that inquiries into the murder are being carried out vigorously by security forces on both sides of the border.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will institute an inquiry into the lack of communication between the RUC and the Army in the Aughnacloy area.
§ Mr. MasonI am satisfied with the effectiveness of communication and cooperation between the branches of the security forces in all areas of Northern Ireland.