15 September 2025
With respect to the commencement of this trial today, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.
As I arrive today for the start of this court case, I am mindful that there are families who lost loved ones on 30th January 1972. Just like the families of the 2 RUC officers brutally murdered by terrorists in the City, just 72 hours earlier, or the families of the 130 British soldiers killed across the province that year, their grief and pain at losing a loved one is ongoing and should be recognised.
As the Veterans Commissioner it is my responsibility to represent and speak on behalf of the Northern Ireland veterans who served during Operation Banner and I will not shy away from that. Many veterans today are frustrated, angry and feel betrayed at how legacy has been handled since 1998.
The legacy of Northern Ireland’s past is emotive and still very raw for many who lost loved ones during what were very turbulent and dark days for our province. It is important to remember that over 1,000 members of the Security Forces lost their lives in the line of duty, and thousands more sustained life changing injuries during this period.
The vast majority of the 300,000 Armed Forces who served in Northern Ireland did so with restraint, dignity and professionalism, working to protect communities and to prevent civil war in Northern Ireland.
The events around Bloody Sunday are well documented, but there are many families of soldiers across Northern Ireland and GB who have never had the truth regarding the loss of their loved one, or the opportunity of justice, as a result of the terrorist campaign. The stories of soldiers murdered by republican terrorists receive little media attention, and certainly no prospect of a public inquiry.
Legacy is indeed the unfinished business of the Belfast Agreement. For there to be any reconciliation in this province, there first must be a fair and balanced legacy process. A process that does not facilitate the demonisation of those who served and the rewriting of history.
As Veterans Commissioner, I will continue to advocate for a legacy process that ensures fairness for all, upholds the principle of justice, and recognises the service and sacrifice of those who stood in defence of all sections of our community during one of the darkest chapters of our history.
David Johnstone
NI Veterans Commissioner