Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said last night he was both sceptical and suspicious about the ability of the Saville inquiry to establish the truth about the killings of 13 unarmed civilians on January 30th, 1972. Delivering the annual Bloody Sunday lecture in Derry, the North's Education Minister, who has been accused by a military intelligence agent of firing the first shot on Bloody Sunday, said "the British establishment" was trying to place the responsibility for the 13 deaths and the wounding of 14 others on him.
Mr McGuinnes said his legal representatives were in discussions with the inquiry. "There are important legal matters to be dealt with. I will be eager when that work is completed to provide my evidence to the inquiry." Like many people in Derry, he was sceptical and suspicious about the ability of the inquiry to establish the truth, he said. Mr McGuinness said he intended to attend the inquiry in person.