Ex-British soldiers to face prosecution over IRA leader’s 1972 murder

Two retired soldiers are the first members of the military to be prosecuted for murder in relation to British army killings in Northern Ireland.

They will be charged over the killing of Official IRA commander Joe McCann, who was shot dead in April 1972 in central Belfast. The Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland announced its decision on Friday, the Guardian reports.

The Official IRA leader was a republican legend even before his killing after organising the “Battle of Inglis’ Bakery” in the Market district of Belfast on 9 August 1971. Nine months later, McCann was shot dead by troops in the same area.

Charging the two soldiers with murder 42 years later will provoke fresh controversy over the retrospective prosecution of members of the security forces over killings related to the Troubles.

A PPS spokesperson said: “Following a careful consideration of all the available evidence it has been decided to prosecute two men for the offence of murder. 

“The charge relates to the death of Mr John Joseph McCann who was shot by an army patrol in Joy Street, Belfast on Saturday 15 April 1972.

“The two defendants in the case are surviving members of the army patrol which shot Mr McCann. A third member of the patrol who also fired at Mr McCann died in the intervening years. At present these individuals are not being named and are identified as soldier A and soldier C.

The original Royal Ulster Constabulary investigation in the case was conducted in 1972 and, based on the evidence then available, it was decided not to prosecute anyone.

The Historical Enquiries Team published a review of the original investigation into the McCann killing in 2012. Two years later, the attorney general for Northern Ireland referred the case to the director of public prosecutions after a request for a fresh inquest. That resulted in a formal review of the case.