Historical Enquiries Team Report on the death of William McGreanery is welcome but raises disturbing questions
British Irish Rights Watch04 June 2010
British Irish RIGHTS WATCH welcomes the Historical Enquiries Team’s (HET) report on the shooting of William Mc Greanery by the army in 1971. It has taken far too long, but it must be a relief to his family to know that Mr Greanery has been exonerated as a wholly innocent man after all these years.
However, his case raises disturbing questions. The then Attorney General’s decision not to charge the soldier concerned with murder, despite the recommendation of RUC Superintendent Frank Lagan, or, indeed, with any offence, effectively created an atmosphere of impunity. This shooting was followed by a number of other cases over a period of several years in which soldiers shot unarmed civilians but claimed that they had thought the victims were armed.