THE only survivor of the Kingsmill atrocity has said while he's disappointed no-one has been held to account for the attack, he hopes he can now get answers from an inquest.
Alan Black was shot 18 times in the hail of bullets that killed 10 of his work colleagues on the outskirts of the south Armagh village of Kingsmill in 1976.
The killers had stopped a mini-bus carrying textile workers and checked their religion before ordering the only Catholic to leave.
The Public Prosecution Service said yesterday that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute a 59-year man arrested last year in connection with a palm print found on the window of a van thought to have been used as getaway vehicle by the IRA gunmen.
It cited a lack of evidence gathered at the time and also a failure to retain evidence by both the RUC and Garda officers who investigated the attack.
Mr Black expressed his disappointment yesterday but said the announcement will clear the way for an inquest to resume.
"I got a very detailed document from the PPS and I can see why they didn't take it forward, because they can't place the minibus at Kingsmill, so then the palm print becomes surplus," he said.
"I have mixed feelings. I fully accept the PPS's decision not to go forward with it, while I am disappointed no-one has been held to account.
"Having said that, it allows us to go ahead with the inquest and that means that we'll get answers at the inquest."
Karen Armstrong, whose brother John McConville was among those murdered, also appealed to his killers to search their conscience and at least give answers to the coroner.
Michael Agnew, the PPS's assistant director of central casework, said "careful consideration" had been given to all of the evidence.
"We have concluded that there is no reasonable prospect of a conviction based on the available evidence and that the test for prosecutions is therefore not met," he said.
"We have informed the families of our decision and the reasons for it, and have offered to meet with them to answer any further questions that they may have."
Documents could not be found indicating exactly when the vehicle was found, or where it was taken for examination, or the precise location of the palm print.
Two witnesses also identified the green Bedford van as being in the vicinity both before and after the attack, but the sightings were not close enough to the scene to provide strong circumstantial evidence.
A new inquest into the killings was adjourned last year when police made the dramatic announcement that they had apparently matched the print to an individual.
A 59-year-old man was later arrested in Newry on suspicion of the 10 murders and Mr Black's attempted murder
Last month, the coroner said if the decision was not to prosecute then he would move to reconvene his inquest at the earliest opportunity.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the PSNI "remain committed to supporting the ongoing inquest, bringing offenders to justice and protecting the public".
Irish foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan last night praised Mr Black's "customary grace and humanity" and said his government has committed to full co-operation with the inquest.
He added that he would discuss the need for agreed legacy institutions to be established at his next meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire.
