Doug Beattie: Blame for the sectarian massacre of 10 Protestant workmen at Kingsmill rests fully with the IRA

Yet again the Police Ombudsman has found that the RUC investigation was under resourced to fully, and comprehensively, investigate the Kingsmill murders in 1976.

The reality being, that with a team of just eight investigators, it was near impossible for the police to investigate all of the leads during what was the second worst year of the Troubles.

The links surrounding the firearms used during this atrocity, including 37 murders and 22 attempted murders, must lead to the conclusion that the IRA sectarian murder campaign was deliberate, and it needs to be investigated further and individuals who directed this campaign held to account.

If those identified are still living then our justice system must track them down.

It must be always remembered that the Irish government did not provide all the information or documentation requested by the coroner’s court but did in some cases simply supply reports.

It is also worth remembering that republicans did not co-operate with the inquest into the Kingsmill massacre.

Given that the Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that there was ‘no alternative’ to the violence of the Troubles and that Sinn Fein remains the political wing of the IRA it must be deduced that they supported this sectarian campaign and that is why they failed to cooperate with the justice system.

The sectarian murders of Protestant workmen at Kingsmill was perpetrated by the IRA who then proceeded to shift blame elsewhere.

It is important that it is restated that there was no collusion in this horrific crime, responsibility lies with the IRA and their political wing Sinn Fein who continue to give them cover to this day.

Doug Beattie MLA Ulster Unionist, Upper Bann