Kingsmills Massacre: Man whose brother was murdered 'not surprised' at Police Ombudsman criticism of RUC investigation
A man whose brother was murdered in the Kingsmills Massacre is "not surprised" by the Police Ombudsman's criticisms of the RUC investigation into the atrocity - however others have noted that police were under immense pressure at the time.
The IRA murdered 10 Protestant men in 1976 near Kingsmills in south Armagh.
In a report published yesterday, Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson said the RUC investigation into the atrocity, including the failure to arrest suspects linked by intelligence to the attack, took place against a backdrop of “wholly insufficient” resources – and during “the second worst year” of the Troubles for fatalities.
She also found no evidence to support complaints that there has been state collusion in the atrocity.
But Colin Worton, whose brother Kenneth was one of those murdered, said he was “not surprised” about failings in the police investigation.
“I don't believe that the RUC at the time were under-resourced, if they were, who was to blame?” he said.
“And more importantly why was it not fixed? It may well have saved countless other lives from being lost to terrorists.
“Once again I state it was the cold-blooded evil IRA terrorists who carried out the Kingsmills massacre.
“But to let mass murders go unpunished is equally sickening and they also should be held to account for what they did not do.”
UUP justice spokesman Doug Beattie said that “yet again the ombudsman has found that an RUC investigation was under resourced”.
With just eight investigators, he said, it was “nearly impossible” for the RUC to investigate all leads – in the second worst year of the Troubles.
He also noted the Irish government did not provide all the information requested by the legacy inquest for the atrocity – nor did the IRA ever respond to requests to cooperate with it.
He added that with no evidence of collusion “responsibility lies with the IRA”.
DUP MLA William Irwin added that although the focus is now on the police investigation, “we must always remember that the sectarian masked men who stopped a minibus carrying 12 Protestant workers near the village of Kingsmill, were armed with PIRA weapons and operated in south Armagh as cover for the PIRA”.
The party will study the report and assist sole survivor Alan Black and the other families, he said.
Kenny Donaldson, director of victims’ group SEFF, said his thoughts are “first and foremost” with relatives of the 10 victims and lone survivor Alan Black.
While there has been an attempt to “enforce a false narrative that the UK state was complicit with the attack”, he said, the ombudsman's findings “dismiss” such a version of events.
The RUC could potentially have progressed the investigation with adequate resources, he said, but south Armagh was on “the cusp” of “a civil war” at that time.
The IRA have never taken responsibility for the attack and Sinn Fein leaders have never confirmed “the illegitimacy of the crime”. Similarly, the Irish government never provided full transparency on what it knows, he added.
SDLP leader Claire Hanna responded that "it is clear that Alan Black and the families of the other Kingsmill victims have many unanswered questions".
The case shows how the current legacy processes "repeatedly fail and retraumatise victims" she added.
Similarly, Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood said the report "further reinforces the need for a fully comprehensive and victim-centred process for dealing with the past".
TUV Leader Jim Allister said: “Today’s report by the Police Ombudsman highlights troubling issues concerning the police investigation at a time when Northern Ireland was enduring horrendous sectarian violence.
“However, this report must not obscure the fundamental facts relating to Kingsmill — namely, that this was an IRA massacre of innocent men returning from their workplace, murdered solely because they were Protestant.
“Despite Sinn Féin’s honeyed words, this report should once again prompt Republicans to confront their role in these heinous acts.”