SAS: 1992 shooting of IRA men was ‘unjustified’ says inquest

The use of lethal force by SAS soldiers was unjustified when they opened fire killing four IRA men in an ambush at Clonoe in County Tyrone, an inquest has ruled.

Kevin Barry O’Donnell, 21, Sean O’Farrell, 22, Peter Clancy, 21, and Patrick Vincent, 20, died in February 1992, minutes after they had carried out a gun attack on Coalisland police station.

The soldiers opened fire as the men arrived at St Patrick’s Church car park in a hijacked lorry which had a heavy machine gun welded to its tailgate.

Security forces had intelligence the car park would be used and 12 soldiers were in position behind a hedgerow.

They opened fire without warning when the lorry drove in – firing more than 500 rounds.

In statements at the time, the soldiers stated the use of lethal force was justified to protect their lives and those of their colleagues from the danger the IRA unit presented.

However, coroner Mr Justice Michael Humphreys found the use of lethal force cannot have been reasonable.

He said there was no attempt to arrest the four IRA men, even as they lay wounded.

The coroner said the operation “was not planned and controlled in such a way as to minimise to the greatest extent possible the need for recourse to lethal force.”

Mr Justice Humphreys added that state agencies had “perpetuated falsehoods” about the incident, having claimed at the time there had been a gun battle.

In fact, the IRA men had not fired on the soldiers.

He referred to a Ministry of Defence document which had mentioned the operation as “an excellent security forces success”.

After the ruling, Patrick Vincent’s sister Marian said: “It has been the entirety of my life that this process has been ongoing.

“It’s hard to say you’re delighted at a finding over your family member’s death.

“We’re overwhelmed and we’re delighted with the result, but we’re also very aware at a huge expense to us, as families.”

Solicitor Niall Murphy said: “Anyone who sat through those months of hearings, the inescapable conclusion, the only conclusion is the verdict the judge has found today.

“Whereas truth has been excavated and published today, justice has not.

“We’re going to carefully consider this verdict with regards to any prospect of prosecutions.”