Northern Ireland

Arlene Foster calls for fresh inquest into IRA 'honey trap' murder of Scottish soldiers

Dougald McCaughey (23) and John (17) and Joseph (18) McCaig were shot dead in March 1971
Dougald McCaughey (23) and John (17) and Joseph (18) McCaig were shot dead in March 1971

FIRST minister Arlene Foster has called for a fresh inquest into the IRA 'honey trap' murder of three unarmed young Scottish soldiers after suspects were `identified' by campaigners.

John (17) and Joseph (18) McCaig were shot dead along with friend Dougald McCaughey (23) on a remote road in north Belfast in 1971 after reportedly being lured to their deaths by women they had met in a bar.

A coroner described the deaths as "one of the vilest crimes ever heard of in living memory".

The families' lawyers say they have identified all of the suspects in the case, which saw the men from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Highland Fusiliers lured into a car after an afternoon drinking at `Mooney's' bar in Belfast city centre's Cornmarket.

The trio, who are believed to have thought they were going to a party, were taken to the White Brae, Squire's Hill, off Ligoniel Road and murdered - two were shot in the back of the head and the other in the chest.

Only one person was ever arrested over the killings, but previously unseen police files implicate Paddy O'Kane - a former British paratrooper who went on to become an IRA hitman.

Now dead, O'Kane was also linked to the Kingsmill massacre of 10 Protestant workers in 1976 and the 1979 Warrenpoint ambush that left 16 members of the Parachute Regiment and two Queen's Own Highlanders dead.

The dossier compiled by the Metropolitan police also names another suspected plotter as 25-year-old Patrick McAdorey.

He was killed by the security forces after an attack on soldiers just five months later.

O'Kane died in 2009 after fleeing to the Republic.

Ms Foster said she and DUP colleague William Humphrey met the legal team acting on behalf of the soldiers' families.

"The team is seeking a new inquest and have requested such from the Attorney General. We support this application given the unanswered questions which remain," she said.

"Principally how one person confessed to the murder but then escaped custody and fled to the Republic of Ireland along with two other suspects. No extradition requests were made despite the Irish prime minister at the time publicly condemning the murders in strong terms.

"No paramilitary organisation ever accepted responsibility for the murders. The police concluded it was the work of PIRA members and new information points to significant premeditation and planning.

"New questions based on new material have been raised therefore the matter should be re-examined."