Irish prime minister visits Bloody Sunday memorial
Copyright 1998 Nando.net
Copyright 1998 The Associated Press
LONDONDERRY, Northern Ireland (January 23, 1998 09:43 a.m. EST
http://www.nando.net) -- Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern laid a wreath
Friday at the memorial for "Bloody Sunday," the worst attack on Catholic
civilians by British troops in Northern Ireland's history. He renewed
demands for a new investigation.
Ahern stood in silence before the gray concrete structure commemorating
the 13 civil rights demonstrators killed by British paratroopers Jan.
30, 1972.
The deaths galvanized Catholic support for the outlawed Irish Republican
Army like few other events in the Northern Ireland conflict.
A British inquiry concluded that troops were justified in firing because
the IRA fired at soldiers first, and some demonstrators may have been
armed.
Catholics, IRA supporters and moderates dispute the claim because no
soldiers were shot and no firearms were recovered by authorities.
On Friday, Ahern called yet again for his British counterpart, Tony
Blair, to reopen the investigation into the shootings.
"All that I want to see is that the truth, the real facts of that
particular day are made known," Ahern said.
Blair has said he might apologize on behalf of the British government
and call for a new investigation, but his decision has not been
announced.
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