§ Miss Devlinasked the Minister of State for Defence whether the Commanding Officer of the First Royal Anglian Regiment gave evidence at an inquest in Londonderry on 22nd July; whether he produced a document purporting to be a log book of that regiment; and whether this allegedly described a sequence of events occurring in the city of Londonderry on 8th July.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithThe Commanding Officer of the First Royal Anglian Regiment gave evidence at the recent inquest at Londonderry, and produced the log-sheet of that regiment which described certain events which occurred there on 8th July.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the Army was attacked in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, on or around Monday, 26th July; what damage was done; and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. KirkI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question on 29th July.—[Vol. 822, c.155.]
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances a solider was shot and injured in the city of Londonderry on or around 176W Monday, 26th July; what type of gun was used; whether the fire was returned; and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. KirkShortly after 10 p.m. on 26th July a group of youths appeared in Rossville Street and threw two petrol bombs. The youths were gradually dispersed and they moved into other streets in the area; but over the next 1½ hours stones were thrown and a number of shots were fired. One of these, apparently from a high-velocity .22 rifle, wounded a soldier in the leg. As the gunman responsible could not be clearly seen the troops did not return the fire. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will now give orders to the Army to shoot Irish Republican Army terrorists in the act of preparing booby traps to murder security forces in Northern Ireland when they attempt to escape into the Irish Republic.
§ Mr. KirkI have nothing to add to the statement of my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence on 26th May regarding the circumstances in which troops may open fire.—Vol. 818, c. 375.]