Relatives For Justice welcomes the decision today by Attorney General Brenda King to order a new inquest into the killings of James McCann, James Sloan, Anthony Campbell, Brendan Maguire, John Loughran and Ambrose Hardy. All six men were shot dead on the night of 3rd/4th February 1973 in the New Lodge, Belfast.
The letters from the Attorney General can be read here Letter from Attorney General to RFJ Directing an Inquest and here Directions re James McCann James Sloan Anthony Campbell Brendan Magui._
RFJ made two s. 14 submissions seeking a new inquest on the basis that there has never been a proper examination of the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
Speaking on behalf of the families, who have always campaigned together and see the deaths as linked, Mike Ritchie welcomed this as an important step in the search for truth about the events in New Lodge 48 years ago.
Willie Loughran, the brother of John, also welcomed the decision saying that this was an unprovoked attack on the New Lodge community that has left a deep trauma and many questions. “We hope that a new inquest will answer some of the many questions we have as to the intentions and actions of the British army on that awful night.”
