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Coroner says named Kingsmill suspect could be 'at risk' but acknowledges free press

The minibus at the scene of the massacre of 10 protestant workman shot dead by the IRA.
The minibus at the scene of the massacre of 10 protestant workman shot dead by the IRA. The minibus at the scene of the massacre of 10 protestant workman shot dead by the IRA.

A CORONER hearing an inquest into the murder of ten Protestant workman at Kingsmill has said while a free press is the "bedrock of society" speculation on the name of a suspect in the case "could risk that person's life".

The Irish News reported on Saturday that a palm print discovered on a van linked to the attack 40 years ago has now been linked to veteran republican Colm Murphy.

In an interview with the Irish News the Co Louth man said he believes he is being "made a scapegoat" by people desperate to prevent embarrassing details emerging during the inquest that could damage the political process.

The PSNI sought to seek an emergency injunction to prevent the Irish News naming the republican as the suspect in the case. At a full hearing heard on Monday the PSNI withdrew the legal attempt. A legal representative for the coroner was present at the hearing.

On Wednesday the coroner said that an Historic Enquiries Team review of Kingsmill found 63 people alleged to have been involved or in some way linked to the planning or had known about the attack.

The inquest was previously told a forensic worker asked could he retest the palm print and managed to match it to a suspect. Two other experts have since confirmed the match.

This news has been met with guarded welcome by the families who have questioned why it wasn't matched before now.

Mr Sherrard said 129 cypher numbers had been allocated as part of the inquest process to prevent suspects being named, he also claimed that the lives of the Kingsmill suspect could be at risk.

"No person has been charged as yet, anyone who is will be entitled to proper due process," Mr Sherrard said.

Mr Sherrard said speculation about named suspects had a "three fold risk" saying it could impact on the police investigation, the inquest and create "a risk to the person named".

And while he said he recognised "the valuable role of the media" saying "a free press is the bedrock of democracy" he warned that it shouldn't interfere with the state's duty to investigative the Kingsmill deaths.

Ulster Unionist MLA, Danny Kennedy who was present at the inquest, called on the Chief Constable to take action to restore the ‘badly shaken confidence’ of the Kingsmills families.

"I believe the families do wish the Inquest to continue, but there is now a very clear onus on the Chief Constable and the PSNI to assert control of the fresh criminal investigation and ensure that the badly shaken confidence of the families and the sole survivor, can be quickly and urgently restored", he said.

This was echoed by DUP assembly member William Irvine who said there was, "some suspicion about the fact that significant evidence has come forward just as the inquest into this massacre was beginning, and forty years after it happened. The questions as to why previous reviews of the evidence had not reached the same result.

"As soon as the criminal case was reopened there was always a strong possibility that the inquest would be suspended as a result. It is now been adjourned for just over two weeks so the onus is on police to move quickly with that process," he said.