§ Mr. Maginnisasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the abduction and the subsequent murder of Corporal Elliott of the Ulster Defence Regiment whose body was discovered at Newtown Hamilton, County Armagh, on Wednesday, 19th April, 1972.
§ Lord BalnielI have been asked to reply.
At about 4.30 p.m. on 17th April, Corporal Elliott was abducted by armed men while off-duty and driving a lorry near Killeen.
270WAt about 8.15 a.m. on 19th April his body was found in a sack beside the road near Newtownhamilton. He had been shot dead.
Troops discovered that a bomb containing about 500 lb. of explosive and six Claymore type devices, each containing about 10 lb. of explosive, had been planted near the body. These devices were all connected to wires which led across the border with the Republic. All were rendered safe by Army ammunition technical officers.
I understand that the Gardai located the position from which the devices would have been detonated and that two people have been arrested by them in connection with the incident.