The sole survivor of the Kingsmill massacre is taking legal action in a bid to have two IRA men suspected of involvement in the murders publicly named.
Alan Black wants the Belfast High Court to order that the identities of the alleged perpetrators must be revealed at an inquest into the 1976 atrocity. The move comes amid rumours that at least one of those connected to the killing of 10 Protestant workmen was a British state agent. That suspect, who has since died, was an ex-soldier linked to more than 30 murders in total, according to legal papers.
Mr Black (76), was shot 18 times and left for dead alongside the lifeless bodies of his 10 friends after the IRA ambushed their minibus near Kingsmill, Co Armagh.
Gunmen ordered the victims out of the van, lined them up and instructed the only Catholic to leave before opening fire.
No-one has ever been convicted for one of the worst outrages committed during the Troubles.
An ongoing inquest into the shootings has heard two suspects linked to the massacre later received controversial on-the-run “comfort letters”, informing them they were not wanted by police. The coroner overseeing the tribunal has so far declined to name those individuals, saying he would consider arguments on what was described as a “complicated” issue. With the suspects currently referred to by ciphers, Mr Black has taken preliminary steps towards seeking a judicial review of that stance.