Today we are launching the second stage in our campaign to uncover who was responsible for the IRA murders of three off-duty British soldiers:  Royal Highland Fusiliers Dougald McCaughey, John McCaig and Joseph McCaig.

In January, we launched our official campaign for justice on behalf of Dougald, John and Joe’s families.  Thanks to your kindness and generosity, the money we raised has allowed us to start our fight by:

• Reviewing the existing police report and confirming that, even though their identities have not been disclosed to the families, the authorities know who carried out the murders.  We must get to the bottom of why this information isn’t being shared?
• Making formal requests to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, An Garda Siochana (the Irish police), the Metropolitan Police Service and the Intelligence Agencies.  Liason with these agencies is ongoing.
• Conducting private enquiries based on leads we have uncovered ourselves to determine the names and locations of the chief suspects.  Significant information has come to light because of our campaign, including witnesses and sources coming forward due to the resulting publicity.
• Liaise and attend meetings with the Scottish Government, as well as politicians and officials in Westminster, to secure necessary assistance.  This too is ongoing.

Some of the state agencies and officials have been more cooperative than others but it is apparent that we will need to be making formal applications -- to court if necessary -- to get the information and materials we need.

Nonetheless, we have made real progress.  Fresh lines of enquiry must be followed if we are going to uncover who murdered Dougald, John and Joe.

At this stage, given the nature of the case, it is impossible to know the final cost of the actions that need to be taken but, to continue our battle, we continue to rely on your support.  Hitting our next target of £10,000 will allow us to keep going and report back to you when further progress has been made.

Background

On the 10th of March 1971 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, three young Scottish soldiers were murdered in cold blood.  They were off-duty and, like any other boys their age, had spent the afternoon drinking in local bars.  Three IRA terrorists, posing as welcoming locals and fellow drinkers, befriended them, lured them away and into their car with the promise of a party and meeting some girls.  Instead, the boys were shot in the head and left by the side of the road.  Their bodies were found by three young children out playing.

The boys were Fusilier Dougald McCaughey (23), Fusilier John McCaig (17) and Fusilier Joseph McCaig (18).  John and Joseph were brothers.  They were the first soldiers to be killed off-duty during the Troubles after the IRA decided to escalate its atrocities by murdering off-duty soldiers.  They deserve justice.  Instead, the authorities have concealed the killers’ identities and allowed them to live out their days in freedom without fear of being prosecuted.

Why is this case important?

Not only is this case important to the boys’ families and loved ones, it is of significant public importance.

For the families and loved ones, this case offers:

• Truth:  They want to identify the killers and ensure that their names and what they did are placed on the public record; not kept secret in government archives.
• Justice:  They want a judicial record of guilt/liability against the killers.
• Non-recurrence:  If terrorists aren’t held to account, even many years after their crimes, then what is to deter today’s would-be terrorists from committing similar atrocities?  Too often our government and its politics has allowed terrorists to walk free or granted them amnesties.  What message does this send?  We must be a country that sends the message that there is no safe-haven from justice – however long it takes. If our Government won’t pursue them, then victims of terrorism will do so themselves.

For the general-public, this case could not be timelier.  It is a scandal that UK veterans of our armed-forces are being pursued for actions they took under orders and in the fight against terrorism.  We see this not only in Northern Ireland, but in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All the while, IRA terrorists have been granted effective amnesties and allowed to live out their days without fear of prosecution.  This discrimination must end and the scales of justice rebalanced.

Ultimately, all the boys’ families and loved ones want to know is the truth of who was responsible for their murder and, in knowing, the chance to hold them to account.  In doing so, they may find some peace in knowing that they have honoured their memory.

Our Legal Team

We are represented by McCue & Partners LLP, the UK's expert in counter-terror litigation, who have represented thousands of victims of terrorism worldwide in cases against the likes of the Real IRA, HAMAS and Muammar al-Gaddafi.  The Firm represented the families of the victims of the 1998 bombing of Omagh by the Real IRA, in ground-breaking and successful civil proceedings against the bombers and the terrorist organisation itself.  It was the first time that victims had brought a private prosecution against the terrorists when the state had failed or been unable to act.