DERRY'S Bloody Sunday families have demanded that police treat former paratroopers the same as any other suspect in a murder investigation.
Relatives were speaking after it emerged that seven former soldiers have applied for a judicial review of the way the PSNI is investigating the killings.
The legal action in London comes after another former soldier was arrested in Co Antrim on Tuesday.
'Soldier J', who was later released pending further investigations, was questioned about the Bloody Sunday killings of William Nash, Michael McDaid and John Young as well as the wounding of William Nash’s father, Alex Nash.
The ex-soldiers have requested they be given 24 hours’ notice of any move to arrest them so they can attend a local police station by appointment.
As Bloody Sunday took place before the introduction of the Emergency Powers Act in 1973, the case does not fall within the terms of the early release scheme under the Good Friday Agreement and soldiers would have to serve their full sentences if they were convicted in relation to the killings.
It is understood they would also lose their anonymity if they were charged.
John Kelly, whose brother Michael (17) was shot dead on Bloody Sunday, said the legal move was an indication that former soldiers realise they could be receiving the “same knock on the door as Soldier J.”
“As far as I am concerned it should be business as usual for the PSNI investigation. Why should they be treated any differently; what sort of a society would we live in if that was to happen?” he said.
Michael McKinney, a brother of victim William (27), also urged police not to let the judicial review impact on their investigation.
Police declined to comment on the development, while the Ministry of Defence said it was aware of the legal proceedings but is not a party to them.
The Parachute Regimental Association has pledged to support the former soldiers.
In a message on its Facebook page, it declined to comment on the legal proceedings but said Soldier J was being offered “appropriate support”.
