The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland at the time of Bloody Sunday did not believe British army claims they had shot dead terrorists in Derry, it was revealed today.
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Mr Brian Faulkner had questioned the army version of events with the comment: "When were a dozen gunmen ever killed in a crowd situation, and with no civilian casualties?" his former principal private secretary, Dr Robert Ramsay, told the Saville inquiry.
Mr Faulkner's private comments were in stark contrast to a public statement he issued hours after the shootings. In it he said: "Those who organised this march must bear a terrible responsibility for having urged people to lawlessness and for having provided the IRA with the opportunity of again bringing death to our streets".
In the aftermath of the events of January 30th, 1972, Mr Faulkner had been "appalled" at the loss of life, said Dr Ramsay.
He told the inquiry in the Derry Guildhall: "When I told him on the telephone that the first reports were that the army had returned fire against terrorists, he replied that he could not believe that all, or even most, of the victims had been terrorists".
Mr Faulkner, who died in 1977, had also reflected on the political implications of the tragedy. "This is London's disaster, but they will use it against us," he said.
Just weeks later in March 1972 the Stormont Parliament was closed down by the government of Mr Edward Heath and direct rule imposed.
Dr Ramsay told the inquiry the Joint Security Committee that was chaired by Mr Faulkner had no specific intelligence ahead of Bloody Sunday in relation to a special IRA threat at the march. PA