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Northern Ireland secretary issues apology to families of Ballymurphy victims

Thursday, 13 May 2021 11:14

The UK's Northern Ireland Secretary has issued an apology in the House of Commons to the families of the Ballymurphy massacre.

It's after a coroner ruled earlier this week that 10 victims of a British Army operation against IRA suspects were 'entirely innocent'.

It follows an apology from the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a call with the North's First Minister and Deputy First Minister yesterday.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told the House of Commons the families of those killed should not have had to wait five decades to clear their names.

"There is no doubt that what happened in those awful few days in Ballymurphy also fuelled further violence and escalation, particularly in the early years of the Troubles.

"The Government profoundly regrets and is truly sorry for these events and how investigations into these events were handled, and for the additional pain that the families have had to endure in their fight to clear the names of their loved ones."

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