A soldier who claimed 13 people were shot dead for good reason on Bloody Sunday today refused to testify at the Saville Inquiry.
Lord Saville said Soldier INQ 113 had arrived at Methodist Central Hall in London, but had resolutely refused to enter the witness box.
The former soldier said in his statement that it would not bother him to travel to Northern Ireland to tell the families of those killed on Bloody Sunday that their sons were members of illegal organisations.
The former Lance Bombardier in the Light Air Defence Regiment was stationed on Londonderry's City Walls on January 30th, 1972 when 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead by soldiers. A 14th man died later.
"Thirteen people were shot that day for a good reason by professional soldiers," he said in his statement to the inquiry.
"Soldiers do not just open fire on people for no reason.
"It would not bother me to go over to Northern Ireland and tell the families of the deceased men that their sons were members of illegal organisations."
Lord Saville said he and the other two judges in the inquiry had considered compelling the soldier to give his evidence, but had decided against it.
"The information we have received is that he has arrived in the building, he is downstairs, but is resolutely refusing to come upstairs and give oral evidence to the tribunal," he said.
"One option, of course, open to us would be to subpoena this witness.
"We have considered the matter and we have come to the conclusion in all the circumstances, having looked at his statement, that we see no reason to compel him to give evidence.
"We will treat his statement in like manner as that which we do to all other witnesses whose statements are read and who are not called to give oral evidence," he added.
Soldier INQ 113 was scheduled to be the 756th witness to appear before the Saville Inquiry.
The inquiry, which usually sits at the Guildhall in Derry, is currently hearing the evidence of military witnesses and others in London because of concerns for their safety.
PA