Sunday Bloody Sunday...Victims were innocent.

[Socrtease]

LONDONDERRY, Northern Ireland -- Relatives of 13 Catholic demonstrators shot to death by British troops on Northern Ireland's Bloody Sunday cried tears of joy Tuesday as an epic fact-finding probe ruled that their loved ones were innocent and the soldiers entirely to blame for the 1972 slaughter.

The investigation took 12 years and nearly 200 million pounds ($290 million), but the victims' families and the British, Irish and U.S. governments welcomed the findings as priceless to heal one of the gaping wounds left from Northern Ireland's four-decade conflict that left 3,700 dead.

Thousands of residents of Londonderry - a predominantly Catholic city long synonymous with Britain's major mass killing from the Northern Ireland conflict - gathered outside the city hall to watch the verdict come in, followed by a lengthy apology from Prime Minister David Cameron in London that moved many locals long distrustful of British leaders.

The probe found that soldiers opened fire without justification at unarmed, fleeing civilians and lied about it for decades, refuting an initial British investigation that branded the demonstrators as Irish Republican Army bombers and gunmen.

Cameron, who was just 5 years old when the attack occurred, said it was "both unjustified and unjustifiable."

"I couldn't believe it, I was so overjoyed," said Kay Duddy, clutching the handkerchief used to swab blood from her 17-year-old brother's body that day. Jackie Duddy, the first of the 13 killed, was shot in the back.


"Never in my wildest dreams would I ever envisage a British prime minister would stand up in Parliament and tell the truth of what happened on Bloody Sunday," Duddy said.

"David Cameron told the world and its mother that Jackie Duddy and the rest of the deceased and injured were innocent people. They were totally exonerated today," she said.

One by one, relatives of the 13 dead and 15 wounded went to a podium, huge black-and-white pictures of their dead or wounded relative displayed on a massive television screen. Each declared their relief that the demonstrators were found innocent and the elite soldiers of the Parachute Regiment solely to blame.

"Thirty-eight years ago a story went around the world ... that there was gunmen and bombers on our streets, and they were shot and killed. Today that lie has been uncovered," said Kate Nash, whose 19-year-old brother William was shot fatally once through the chest.

"Unjustified and unjustifiable. Those are the words we've been waiting to hear since January the 30th of 1972," said Tony Doherty, whose father, Patrick, was fatally shot as he crawled away from gunfire. The fact-finders rejected soldiers' claims that Doherty had been carrying a gun by digging up photos of Doherty seconds before he was hit and showing he was unarmed.

"The victims of Bloody Sunday have been vindicated, and the soldiers of the Parachute Regiment have been disgraced. Their medals of honor have to be removed!" Doherty declared to cheers.

More here

For 4 decades the British government has maligned the victims, the soldiers have lied and the world was told that IRA bombers and terrorists were killed on that Sunday. All of the soldiers should be tried and imprisoned.

[Topspin]

Brits used to be some violent ass kickers, now they can't even win at kickball vs our dodgeball team.

[/MSG/]

Fuck the Brits.

[/MSG/]

Fuck the Brits.

[/MSG/]

Brits used to be some violent ass kickers, now they can't even win at kickball vs our dodgeball team.

Are you saying that you approve of the violent execution of innocent civilians simply because they're of another race?

[Socrtease]

I am really curious as to what our resident brits think of this.

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Don't ask Tom.

[Minister of Truth]

Fuck the Brits.

Ohhh, yes!

[charver]

I am really curious as to what our resident brits think of this.

This Brit thinks it's something that has been known by all but the blindest of loyalists for some considerable time. The British government should have apologised a long time ago and, to be fair, if this thing hadn't taken 12 years to report it would have come perhaps a decade sooner. Hopefully this provides the families of the dead some degree of peace.

What happens next i don't know. If prosecutions occur there will be complaints that those who were killed and murdered by the IRA have been released and/or no longer face justice, potentially leading to some horrendous battle of victimhood. I'd like to see justice served but i'm not sure if prosecution is going to be in the long term interests of peace or Northern Ireland.

[Mott the Hoople]

This Brit thinks it's something that has been known by all but the blindest of loyalists for some considerable time. The British government should have apologised a long time ago and, to be fair, if this thing hadn't taken 12 years to report it would have come perhaps a decade sooner. Hopefully this provides the families of the dead some degree of peace.

What happens next i don't know. If prosecutions occur there will be complaints that those who were killed and murdered by the IRA have been released and/or no longer face justice, potentially leading to some horrendous battle of victimhood. I'd like to see justice served but i'm not sure if prosecution is going to be in the long term interests of peace or Northern Ireland.

No, don't be silly, retribution is what got ya'll into this position to begin with. Don't go down that road. What they need to do in Northern Ireland is what they did in South Africa and Argentina, you need to create a commission on reconciliation. If you both just go an eye for an eye you'll both just end up blind.

[charver]

No, don't be silly, retribution is what got ya'll into this position to begin with. Don't go down that road. What they need to do in Northern Ireland is what they did in South Africa and Argentina, you need to create a commission on reconciliation. If you both just go an eye for an eye you'll both just end up blind.

Exactly, Mott. There's been far too much vengeance in previous years. Everybody has had to live with decisions that have been taken to advance the peace process but which are distasteful to say the least. The decision not to prosecute may well be regarded as another one.

There was talk of establishing such a committee but nothing seems to have gotten off the ground yet. With both UK and Irish governments experiencing economic problems it has fallen down the list of priorities but if the people of Northern Ireland made a serious push for it they'd likely get it now.

[Topspin]

Are you saying that you approve of the violent execution of innocent civilians simply because they're of another race?

Caboose, why do you think a public high school education is enough?

[SmarterthanYou]

wheels. justice. slow. for. governments.

[Socrtease]

Exactly, Mott. There's been far too much vengeance in previous years. Everybody has had to live with decisions that have been taken to advance the peace process but which are distasteful to say the least. The decision not to prosecute may well be regarded as another one.

There was talk of establishing such a committee but nothing seems to have gotten off the ground yet. With both UK and Irish governments experiencing economic problems it has fallen down the list of priorities but if the people of Northern Ireland made a serious push for it they'd likely get it now.

My problem with reconciliation is is ALWAYS benefits the oppressor. They get to sit down, come clean about their crimes, listen to their victims, or the surviving family members of the victims and then NOTHING happens. Oppresive governments and militaries should be tried in international court and spend so time in a cell reflecting on their crimes.

[Damocles]

Isn't this like saying, "New Study Shows that People Breathe for Oxygen! Carbon Dioxide is the result!"