A Provisional IRA witness told the inquiry yesterday that an Official IRA man, armed with a rifle, threatened to shoot him minutes after he had fired a single shot towards British soldiers. George Jackson reports.
Known as PIRA 1, the witness said he confronted the Official IRA man because he believed his presence endangered the lives of unarmed civilians on the civil rights march.
Minutes after the confrontation on January 30th, 1972, members of the Parachute Regiment advanced into the Bogside, shot dead 13 civilians and wounded 13 others.
The witness, who gave his evidence from behind a screen to protect his identity, said that he and his friend, Sean Keenan, had been alerted to the presence of a civilian gunman in the Colmcille Court area of the Bogside where the shootings took place.
"I remember feeling angry because my understanding was that both the Provisionals and Officials had agreed not to take any action on the day of the march. I felt that the presence of a gunman would endanger the lives of people involved in the march."
PIRA 1 said he approached both the gunman and another Official IRA member who were at the top of a staircase after the shot had been fired at soldiers.
"There was a heated exchange of words. I don't recall exactly what was said but I probably used a few choice adjectives. The gist of it was asking him what the hell he was doing firing a rifle with the march going on. The guy who had fired the rifle did not say what he had shot at or whether he had hit anything or anybody.
"At one point I think he pointed the gun into my stomach and threatened to shoot me. I may have had my hand on the gun, I am not sure. He defended his decision to fire a shot by referring to the fact that the army had already shot two people. He said that the army were not going to get away with it, or words to that effect.
"I cannot recall exactly how the argument ended. Something was said to calm things down. I have no clear recollection of what was said although I am positive that the two Officials agreed not to take any further action, that is, no more shots would be fired. The whole incident only lasted about 30 seconds or a minute, it all blew over very quickly," he said.
Meanwhile another Provisional IRA witness said he saw the shootings and the bodies of several of the Bloody Sunday victims, including the body of his dying friend, Gerry Donaghy. Mr Donncha MacFicheallaigh said he was not a member of the IRA on Bloody Sunday but the killings were the catalyst for his decision to join the paramilitary group. In May 1974 he was jailed for 20 years when he was convicted of attempting to murder seven British soldiers in a landmine explosion on April 12th, 1973.
Mr MacFicheallaigh said he saw the killing of Jim Wray and William McKinney and the wounding of Joe Mahon and Michael Quinn. He said Mr Quinn was shot as he tried to escape from Glenfada Park.
"He was shot in the face. I think it was his right cheek. I recall seeing his face open up and I saw the workings of his tongue and mouth as he was shot. His blood splattered on my clothing."
The witness said that minutes later he saw his fatally wounded friend Gerry Donaghy lying on his back in Glenfada Park.
"He was alive when I saw him, but had a bullet wound to his left side which looked singed and bloody. I could see that he was seriously injured. He was having trouble breathing and his lips were stretching back as his teeth protruded," he said.
"I am aware that it has been suggested that Gerry was carrying four nail bombs in his jacket and trouser pockets on that day," he said.
"If he had been carrying nail bombs, I am sure I would have seen them. Also, he would not have been able to run properly. What is more, had I noticed nail bombs in Gerry's pockets when I found him lying, I would have removed them myself." The witness said he believed the bombs were later planted on his friend's body by soldiers or policemen.