THE daughter of an IRA woman killed along with her sister more than 45 years ago by the British Army is set to sue the Ministry of Defence.
Mother-of-four Maura Meehan (31) was killed along with her sister Dorothy Maguire when soldiers opened fire on a car in which they were passengers in west Belfast in 1971.
Both women were members of Cumann na mBan, the female wing of the IRA.
After the killings the British Army claimed a gun had been pointed from the back of the car although this was disputed by the women’s families and eye witnesses.
Legal papers were recently lodged with the High Court in Belfast after new evidence emerged in the case.
Forensic reports from the time claimed that swabs taken from Mrs Meehan showed she had lead on both hands “consistent with discharge residues due to firing a weapon”.
Original examinations also found that swabs taken from Ms Maguire showed the presence of lead on one hand.
However, a recent ballistic forensic report commissioned by solicitors acting for the family has cast doubt on the original findings saying it did not “provide any salient evidence to conclude that Mrs Meehan had fired a gun”.
The review added that the original report failed to consider other sources of lead “as an explanation for the presence of lead on the swabs taken from her hands”.
Mr Meehan’s daughter, Margaret Kennedy, last night welcomed the new findings.
“It’s what we have said all along basically,” she said.
Mrs Kennedy, who was aged nine when her mother was killed, accused authorities of “stalling” on the case but said they would continue with their campaign until they get answers.
“All we are looking for is the truth to be told,” she said.
The Ministry of Defence did not respond to requests for a comment.
