Campbell demands answers on deaths

In the debate on the report, Mr Campbell told the Assembly: "The events of 30 January 1972 were, undoubtedly, a tragedy for those who lost their lives and their families. Several months ago, before the Saville report had been published, I expressed that position during an Adjournment debate. That was the one point of unanimity that spanned the political spectrum. For many years, some of us have questioned the wisdom of setting up the Saville Inquiry to investigate an incident of some 30 years' vintage. The fact that it cost nearly 200 million is deplorable and scandalous. Unfortunately, Saville did not lay out in detail why troops were on the ground that day — Saville did not, but we will.

"There are those, some of whom are in the Chamber today, who are trying to rewrite history. They try to suggest that the violence that lasted for some 30 years started with Bloody Sunday. They do so in an attempt to confer some form of bogus legitimacy on their campaign of murder, which preceded that day and continued long thereafter. We will continue to ensure that the truth is told about the violence that engulfed our country for so long.

"The truth is that murder, mayhem and terror were rife before 30 January 1972. In the two and a half years that preceded that day, one hundred people were murdered across Northern Ireland. In the four weeks before that day, in Londonderry alone, violence was carried out by the various factions of the IRA.

"There were nine separate bomb attacks on commercial and security force premises, six separate shooting incidents, including an 80-minute gun battle, and a number of gelignite and nail bomb attacks. Much of the city lay in ruins; we did not need Saville to tell us that.

"There was also the despicable and cowardly murder of two policemen. One of the weapons used that night was a sub-machine gun.

"I have repeatedly said — it remains the case more than 30 years later — that we will probably never know the truth of all that transpired on that day. Long before the Saville Inquiry, one participant sought refuge in not answering questions and did so again while in the witness box. Almost all of us want to move on and put the past behind us, and we must do that. However, some people seem unable to own up to the many bloody days of their past."