Key Bloody Sunday witness found

A former soldier who has claimed that his colleagues in the Parachute Regiment deliberately shot innocent civilians on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972 has agreed to give evidence to the Saville inquiry in exchange for a personal security package from the Northern Ireland Office worth £44,000. It includes insurance cover in the event of his death.

The evidence of Soldier 027, who says his written evidence to the original Widgery inquiry in 1972 was fabricated by government lawyers, was a key factor in persuading the prime minister to set up the Saville inquiry in 1998.

The Irish government has summarised his account as "grim and, at points, grisly" with the paratroopers being briefed by a lieutenant the day before the Bloody Sunday confrontation to "get some kills". Some of those shot had their arms in the air, he says.

If his evidence is accepted it will decisively overturn the conclusions of Widgery, who exonerated the army from serious wrongdoing, and would support the allegations from the nationalist community of murder.

At hearings in Londonderry in November it will be decided how and where he will take the witness stand.

It has taken 25 years for his story to emerge. After leaving the army in 1974 he wrote a full account of the events in the city where 13 unarmed civilians on a civil rights march were shot dead by members of the 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

In 1997 this was handed to a Northern Ireland journalist who published extracts in the Sunday Business Post. Copies were sent by the journalist to the Irish government which included the material in its representations for a new inquiry to the prime minister, Tony Blair.

Dublin summarised the most serious allegations in this way:

"The contents of the transcripts are grim and, at points, grisly. They allege that members of 027's unit engaged in the robbery, beatings ("beastings"), torture, mutilation and murder of civilians in North ern Ireland.

"On Bloody Sunday they allege that the anti-tank platoon of support company had, on the previous day, been encouraged by its lieutenant to get some "kills", that they had their own supply of ammunition, that they used dum-dum bullets on the day, that paras deliberately shot at unarmed civilians in Rossville Street, that named members of the anti-tank platoon entered Glenfada Park and that 027 witnessed some of them unlawfully kill four demonstrably unarmed civilians there, including at least one who was already wounded, that soldiers lied to the Widgery tribunal and that members of the tribunal altered 027's statement so that it 'bore no relation to fact and I was told with a smile that this is the statement I would use when going on the stand'. "

In the event 027 was not called and he disappeared. In April 1998 his solicitors contacted the Saville inquiry saying that he was willing to give evidence but was concerned about his safety. His lawyers were asked what protection he wanted but he replied that the tribunal should make him a proposal.

For several months the Saville team tried to find him. A private detective was hired. Summonses were served on various ultility companies and other organisations in an attempt to find his address.

It became apparent that he had moved several times. Negotiations were then set up between the NOI and his lawyers to draw up a security package. It was signed on July 6 this year.

It provides for a payment of £1,400 a month in lieu of earnings for up to a year; payment of £100 a month for life insurance for a year; £6,000 for a car; a loan of £20,000 towards buying a house or flat which will not have to repaid if he fully cooperates.

Sinn Fein vice-president Pat Doherty said: "If this is an aid to establishing the truth then it is moving in the right direction, but the soldier in question must feel under grave strain from the establishment to seek such protection."