Mr. John Teggart:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak here today about the Ballymurphy massacre.

On Monday, 9 August 1971, at 4 a.m., internment without trial was introduced by the British Government in the North of Ireland. The British Army directed the campaign against the predominately Catholic community with the stated aim to "shock and stun the civilian community". Between 9 August and 11 August 1971, more than 600 British soldiers entered the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast, raiding the homes and rounding up local men. Many were brutalised without good reason as they were dragged from their homes.

In the aftermath of internment, 11 innocent civilians, including my father, were brutally murdered in Ballymurphy. All 11 unarmed civilians were murdered by the British parachute regiment. One of the victims was the well-known parish priest, Fr. Hugh Mullan, and another was 44-year-old mother of eight, Mrs. Joan Connolly. All left their place of safety to go to the aid of others. Almost all were shot in the back. No police investigations were carried out and no member of the British Army was ever held to account.

Evidence suggests that some of the soldiers involved in Ballymurphy went on to Derry some months later and murdered 14 innocent civilians. Had those who were involved in Ballymurphy been held to account, the events of Bloody Sunday may never have happened.

Original inquests were held into each of the deaths in 1972 resulting in open verdicts.

We always maintained that these were sham inquests as not all eyewitnesses were called to give evidence, and the RUC did not carry out any investigations into the 11 deaths.

In 1998, the families began a campaign to have their loved one's names cleared and declared innocent. As part of that campaign, families started to source eye-witnesses, and to collect evidence and witness statements, which would later be submitted by our solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh to the Attorney General, with a request for new inquests. Subsequently, the Attorney General exercised his powers pursuant to section 14 of the Coroner's Act (Northern Ireland)1959 and, having considered the submissions made to him, he directed in 2011 that new inquests should be held into the deaths of ten of the victims.

The first preliminary hearing took place on 3 March 2014 and the oral hearings began in court 12 at Laganside Courts on 12 November 2018, with an opening statement from counsel for the coroner followed by family pen portraits in respect of our loved ones. The inquest heard 100 days of evidence, finishing on 3 March 2020. On each day of the inquests we relived the horror of what happened to our loved ones in August 1971. It was not easy, in fact it was awful, but what gave us the strength to get through it was the knowledge that every day of evidence was another blow to the Ministry of Defence web of lies created 50 years ago. We remained determined and united as the truth was finally recognised by the court and the lies of the British Government were laid bare for all the world to see.

Last Tuesday, 11 May 2021, Mrs. Justice Keegan delivered her long-awaited verdict. It was an historic day for families as they gathered to hear Mrs. Justice Keegan say that all our loved ones were innocent. They are: Joan Connolly, innocent; Joseph Corr, innocent; Eddie Doherty, innocent; John Laverty, innocent; John McKerr, innocent; Fr Hugh Mullan, innocent; Joseph Murphy, innocent; Noel Phillips, innocent; Frank Quinn, innocent; and my daddy, Danny Teggart, innocent.

We were overjoyed at the verdict. We corrected history. We corrected the lies that our loved ones were gunmen and a gunwoman. We always knew our loved ones were innocent, now the world knows it. Our joy was interrupted when the British Prime Minister Boris Johnston issued feeble and insincere apologies. We never asked for an apology, but we did ask for a police investigation. The police have never investigated the deaths of our loved ones. We should not need to ask for a proper police investigation: it is normal practice when citizens are murdered. The British Government now wants to deny us and others any chance for justice by introducing an amnesty for these murderers.

The Ministry of Defence spin doctors, just like they did 50 years ago, are circulating lies, describing these investigations as vexatious or unfair prosecutions. No one should be above the law. Amnesties are for people who are afraid of the truth. If the British Government is so proud of its legal system, why does it not trust it? Instead it chooses to ignore the internationally recognised agreements and make up its own laws when it suits.

Every victim should have a right to pursue justice. We will not accept an apology for these murderers and will challenge any attempts to do so. I ask this committee to use its influence on the British Government to implement the Stormont House Agreement so that other victims do not have to endure many years of campaigning as we did.