Man arrested over IRA murder of soldiers in 1977

A man has been arrested by police in the North in connection with the murder of two soldiers in Belfast more than 35 years ago.

Privates Michael Harrison (19) and Richard Turnbull (18) died during a gun attack on British army vehicles by the IRA on June 29th, 1977.

PSNI serious crime branch detectives have arrested a man (54) in west Belfast in relation to the murders, a police spokeswoman said today. He is being questioned at the serious crime suite in Antrim police station.

Private Turnbull was from Cleveland, Yorkshire and Private Harrison was from Dillington, Sheffield. They were members of the 3rd Light Infantry which had just arrived for a tour of duty in Northern Ireland.

In 1979, 23-year-old Paul Peter McKenna of Cullingtree Road, Belfast was given a double life sentence for his part in the murder of the soldiers.