Former military and IRA members are to be called as witnesses in the legacy inquest into an SAS ambush which killed four men in Co Tyrone in 1992, a court has heard.
Northern Ireland’s presiding coroner, Mr Justice Michael Humphreys, was also told that a statement is to be provided by former RUC chief constable Sir Hugh Annesley about the shootings in Clonoe.
Four Provisional IRA members – Kevin Barry O’Donnell, 21, Sean O’Farrell, 23, Peter Clancy, 19, and Daniel Vincent, 20 – were shot dead by SAS soldiers minutes after they had carried out a gun attack on Coalisland RUC station.
The special forces opened fire as the men arrived at St Patrick’s Church car park in a stolen lorry they had used in the police station attack.
An inquest into the circumstances of the killings opened last year and is due to resume in the coming months.
At a review hearing on Thursday at Belfast High Court, the presiding coroner was given an update on preparations for the inquest, which is taking place against the backdrop of the Government’s new Legacy Act, which says any legacy inquests that have not reached the point of verdict by May 1 2024 will be discontinued.
Counsel for the coroner, David McDowell KC, told the court a specialist ballistics report has been delayed and is now expected by the end of January.
Mr Justice Humphreys said: “The inquest cannot wait any longer. The end of January has to be an absolute deadline, not a best estimate or hoped for outcome, but is the deadline for the provision of that report.”
Mr McDowell said all properly interested persons in the proceedings have now received a list of witnesses to be called and those whose evidence will be read.
The coroner said the list of witnesses who will be called falls into two categories – military witnesses and individuals alleged to have been involved in the IRA operation.
With regard to the IRA members, Mr McDowell said there are three who have previously pleaded guilty to offences and another four who have been identified.
He said: “It is anticipated they are unlikely to be of assistance. All have claimed in the past they were not present at the scene, but there is information to suggest that they were.
“The request from the MoD and the former military witnesses is that you summon them to attend the inquest.”
Mr Justice Humphreys said: “It seems that the Coroner’s Service should press now for their co-operation, serving statutory notices if necessary.”
Relating to former military members, the court was told there are 14 substantive witnesses, including those who discharged their weapons.
Mr Justice Humphreys said a realistic date for the resumption of the inquest is March 4, with three weeks set aside to hear evidence.
He added: “One imagines that the former military witnesses may prefer to give their evidence remotely.”
The coroner was also told that a draft statement from former RUC chief constable Sir Hugh will be provided to the Coroner’s Service within seven days.
When the inquest opened last year the counsel for the coroner stated that a particular focus would be whether the use of lethal force by the soldiers who shot the four men was justified.
