The mother of a Catholic teenager shot dead by two Scots Guardsmen walked out of a meeting last night with the British Armed Forces Minister, Mr Doug Henderson, at Stormont. Ms Jean McBride had met Mr Henderson to demand that her son's murderers be dismissed from the British army. Mr Peter McBride (18) was shot dead in 1992.
Mr Mark Wright, from Arbroath, and Mr James Fisher, from Ayrshire, were given life sentences for the murder. However, they were freed in September after serving just six years and were allowed to rejoin their regiment. The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, had said earlier she believed they should not be permitted back into the army.
The McBride family has campaigned against the pair's early release and army readmission. Last night, a family friend said the family was too upset to comment on the meeting but he said there was a lot of frustration expressed during the hour-long meeting.
"It was a totally unsatisfactory meeting," Mr Paul O'Connor said outside Castle Buildings in Stormont. "Jean McBride actually walked out of the meeting she was so frustrated. The Minister told us that the decision by the army board to reinstate the soldiers was a matter of employment and I find that personally insensitive.
"The Minister appeared to be justifying the continued employment of two soldiers who have been convicted by a court of law of murder. We are deeply unhappy with the outcome of this meeting."
Mr O'Connor said the campaign to have the army stand down the soldiers would continue and they intended to take the British government to the European Court of Human Rights. They also intended to take the case to the US Congress, Westminster and Brussels.