Soldiers did not fire from the city walls of Derry into the nationalist Bogside area on Bloody Sunday, an officer claimed today.
A number of civilian witnesses have claimed troops opened fire from the walls on January 30th, 1972, when 13 people were shot dead by soldiers. A 14th man died later.
But Soldier 139, a staff sergeant in charge of 32 men who were stationed on the walls, said he would have known if there was any army shooting from his area.
"I can confirm that to the best of my knowledge no shots were fired from the city wall that day whilst I was on duty," he said.
"From my position I would have heard any shots fired from the city wall." Soldier 139, who was stationed close to an army observation post near the city's Craigavon Bridge, said he was overlooking the Bogside area and could see the Rossville Flats directly in front of him.
He told Mr Christopher Clarke QC, counsel to the Saville Inquiry, he had not heard any shots fired from, or at, the walls on Bloody Sunday.
Mr Clarke asked: "Were you aware of any shots fired at the walls that day?" Soldier 139 replied: "No, sir".
Soldier 139 was the 764th witness to appear before the inquiry, which usually sits at the Guildhall in Derry but is hearing the evidence of military witnesses and others in London because of concerns for their safety.
Lord Saville of Newdigate and the Commonwealth judges accompanying him on the Bloody Sunday inquiry began their work nearly four years ago and are not expected to report back until 2004.
PA