The widow of a north Belfast man shot dead by the British army almost 45-years ago has launched legal action against one of the world’s largest delivery companies demanding the release of British army files.
Solicitors acting for Isobel Copeland are demanding that TNT Business Solutions hand over files connected to the controversial killing of her husband John Copeland.
Records relating to the case are among a haul of Troubles-related documents transferred from the north to a warehouse in Swadlicote in Derbyshire, managed by TNT Business Solutions, several years ago.
TNT Business Solutions is part of international courier company, TNT.
The case, which will be launched at the High Court in Belfast today, comes after it emerged that Troubles related documents handed over by the Ministry of Defence to the British National Archive have disappeared.
It is believed the papers, which were previously available to researchers, cover dates between 1967 and 1969 have been taken back by the MoD.
The discovery was made researchers employed by Belfast legal firm KRW Law.
A father-of-two, Mr Copeland was gunned down as he walked to his Ladbrook Drive home in Ardoyne in October 1971.
The father of high profile republican Eddie Copeland, he died in hospital two days later.
Solicitors for the Copeland family have previously said there are "serious concerns" that the archive material surrounding the case could be destroyed.
In 2011 it emerged that security force files held at Gough Barracks in Armagh were destroyed by police, who later claimed they were contaminated by asbestos.
During a 1973 inquest into Mr Copeland's death, three soldiers claimed they opened fire on the father-of-two after he shot at them with a pistol.
However, three civilian witnesses later gave evidence that Mr Copeland was not armed.
On the same day another Ardoyne man, Michael McLarnon (22), was also killed by the same Green Howard army unit as he stood at the door of his Etna Drive home, while a local woman was also shot and injured.
Mrs Copeland is currently suing the MoD for damages for the death of her husband, accusing them of a range of failings including negligence
Solicitor Claire McKeegan last night said: "We are aware that TNT retain in its custody, documentation, extremely sensitive in nature belonging to the Ministry of Defence which may include information pertaining to army activities in the 1970s.
"This application is brought to seek disclosure of documents which relate to this particular case and the systems which are used to manage the archive."
TNT and the MoD declined to comment.
