The British army has publicly distanced itself from comments about Northern Catholics made by the former commander of the Ist Battalion Parachute Regiment, Lieut Col Derek Wilford.
Col Wilford provoked outrage this week when he suggested in a radio interview that "almost every Ulster Catholic" would deny being a republican.
His outburst came as counsel for the Bloody Sunday Inquiry launched an appeal in London on Tuesday against a High Court ruling that 17 members of the Parachute Regiment should retain their anonymity, and provoked widespread anger among senior British army personnel.
In a statement, the British army said the remarks "do not represent those of today's army. Indeed, such views are potentially damaging to the army's position of absolute impartiality. They were, in short, as inaccurate as they were unhelpful."
Senior officers have expressed "downright anger" over Col Wilford's remarks, accusing him of setting back the army's efforts to demonstrate its impartiality. The army supports the 17 soldiers in their battle to retain anonymity, but former colleagues say Col Wilford's high-profile campaign and ill-judged comments are evidence that he is a loose cannon. One former colleague said this week that he was "ashamed" when he heard Col Wilford's outburst on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Col Wilford retired from the army 16 years ago but has always felt that he and his men were held up as the scapegoats for what happened in Derry on Bloody Sunday. Col Wilford has also said he will refuse to appear at the public hearings and risk being sent to prison for contempt of court if his men lose their anonymity.