The Bloody Sunday inquiry

January 30 1972 British troops opened fire on a crowd of protesters in the Bogside district of Londonderry, killing 14 civilians. 13 killed as paratroopers break riot The first inquiry into the events of that day - which came to be known as Bloody Sunday - largely absolved the soldiers. Lord Widgery's 1972 report suggested they had opened fire because they believed they were under fire and that some of those killed were carrying nail bombs when shot. Widgery clears the army but blames individual soldiers Twenty seven years later, Prime Minister Tony Blair bowed to pressure from the families of the victims and announced a new inquiry, to be headed by Lord Saville of Newdigate. The following is a chronological guide to key moments in that inquiry. March 27 2000 The Saville public inquiry into Bloody Sunday begins taking oral statements from the first of hundreds of witnesses. Relatives and friends of the victims filled Londonderry Guildhall for the biggest public inquiry in British legal history. Bloody Sunday inquiry: army's secret plan March 28 2000 The Bloody Sunday inquiry is told of a memo to an army commander in Northern Ireland detailing tactics to deal with 'Derry's young hooligans'. General advocated shooting riot leaders April 6 2000 According to an informer, Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness admitted he was the IRA gunman who sparked Bloody Sunday with a single shot, the Saville inquiry is told. McGuinness 'said he sparked Bloody Sunday' November 22 2000 The killing of 13 unarmed Catholic demonstrators on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972 was a deliberate plan approved by the then prime minister of the United Kingdom, Edward Heath, and his Northern Ireland counterpart, Brian Falkner, as well as their most senior military advisers, the inquiry is told. Heath 'approved Londonderry massacre' December 12 2000 A telephonist at the RUC's headquarters in Derry warned a man to stay away from the march which led to Bloody Sunday because paratroopers were "coming in and coming in shooting", the Saville inquiry hears. RUC telephonist warned Derry man off march, says witness January 22 2001 A former soldier who took part in the civil rights march in Derry when 14 people died says he heard troops being ordered to fire at people's backs. Troops 'told to shoot people in back' April 7 2001 Lawyers working on the Bloody Sunday tribunal in Derry are accused of greed after demanding huge pay rises for their work on the inquiry. After sitting for 69 days, more than £41 million of taxpayers' money has been spent on the hearings and background work. The most expensive tribunal in British legal history could make millionaires of most of the senior lawyers involved. Bill soars for Bloody Sunday May 2 2001 Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness confirms publicly for the first time that he was a leading member of the IRA on Bloody Sunday. McGuinness admits leading IRA role on Bloody Sunday May 21 2001 A former Guardian journalist relives the terrifying moment almost 30 years ago when a soldier opened fire on him on Bloody Sunday. Reporter relives day when soldiers took aim June 7 2001 A witness says he saw people moving IRA guns out of Derry's Bogside before the civil rights demonstration where British paratroopers shot dead 14 unarmed Catholic men. IRA 'took weapons out of Bogside' before march began August 3 2001 Soldiers who fired on civil rights marchers on Bloody Sunday are to challenge a ruling that they must return to Derry to testify at the inquiry into the events there nearly 30 years ago. Paras ordered to testify in Derry February 4 2002 A retired RUC special branch officer says he heard the characteristic sound of a machine gun favoured by the IRA and six to 10 nail bomb blasts before British paratroopers opened fire in Derry's Bogside on January 30 1972. RUC man 'heard IRA guns' at march February 7 2002 The Bloody Sunday inquiry grants 20 former and serving police officers the right to testify from behind screens, after they argued their lives could be in danger if their faces were seen during the proceedings. Anger at Bloody Sunday ruling May 8 2002 Threatened with a charge of contempt and a possible spell in prison, Ian Paisley bows to pressure and arrives at Derry's Guildhall to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday tribunal after ignoring a summons to appear on the previous day. Paisley complains of discrimination May 27 2002 The M15 agent codenamed Infliction, who claimed Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness fired the first shot on Bloody Sunday, will not have to testify to the inquiry because it would put his life at risk, the chairman, Lord Saville, rules. MI5 agent will not testify September 24 2002 The man in overall command of the Parachute Regiment's first battalion in Northern Ireland when its members shot dead 13 people in Derry 30 years ago vehemently rejects claims that they were thugs. Soldiers who shot 13 dead 'not thugs' October 16 2002 A paratrooper at the scene of the Bloody Sunday killings says there was no justification for a "single shot" he saw his colleagues fire. Bloody Sunday para said shootings were unjustified October 29 2002 The most senior army officer on the ground in Derry on Bloody Sunday denies paratroopers who shot dead 13 unarmed civilians were acting on a secret memo he wrote three weeks earlier, which suggested firing on riot ringleaders. Derry shootings were not my idea, says general November 19 2002 The officer who ordered paratroopers into Derry's Bogside on Bloody Sunday insists his plan was for soldiers to arrest rioters with minimum force to avoid alienating the Catholic population. Paras 'launched to scoop up hooligans' November 21 2002 Paratroopers who shot dead 13 unarmed marchers in Northern Ireland disobeyed orders by entering the Catholic Bogside area of Derry in force and protected by armoured vehicles. 'Paratroopers disobeyed orders' December 5 2002 The British government discussed the possibility of "numerous civilian casualties" in a military operation to restore law and order to Londonderry just weeks before Bloody Sunday. Cabinet debated civilian risks ahead of Bloody Sunday December 19 2002 Claims that there was a top-level plot to shoot innocent people on Bloody Sunday were ridiculous, the former defence secretary Lord Carrington says. Carrington scoffs at Bloody Sunday 'plot' January 14 2003 Sir Edward Heath becomes the first former British prime minister to take the stand at a public judicial inquiry when he faces tough questions about Bloody Sunday. Heath to testify on Derry killings January 15 2003 Sir Edward Heath condemns as obscene the suggestion he was more interested in Europe than in murders in Northern Ireland. Heath rails at 'obscene slur' by Bloody Sunday QC May 14 2003 A paratrooper who fired 12 shots on Bloody Sunday admits that statements he made about gunfire and bombs being aimed at soldiers were untrue. Soldier admits gunfire untruths June 10 2003 No one would have been killed on Bloody Sunday had the IRA not started a fierce gun battle with the troops, a senior army officer tells the tribunal. IRA fired first, says colonel October 10 2003 A former paratrooper says his commanding officer, Colonel Derek Wilford, personally ordered him to fire at civilians on Bloody Sunday. Colonel 'ordered paratrooper to fire at civilians' October 15 2003 A document written by General Sir Mike Jackson, the head of the army, claimed that British soldiers shot at gunmen and bombers on Bloody Sunday, but failed to explain the death of 13 unarmed civilians, the inquiry hears. Bloody Sunday: Army chief questioned over 'shot list' October 20 2003 Six members of the IRA dismiss claims that Martin McGuinness, the Sinn Fein deputy leader, planned a nail bomb attack in Derry. McGuiness 'bomb plot' dismissed November 5 2003 Martin McGuinness denounces as "lunatic" claims that he opened fire on soldiers on Bloody Sunday. Provisionals did not fire on troops, insists McGuinness January 26 2004 Two journalists who face a possible trial and prison sentence for refusing to reveal confidential sources to the Bloody Sunday inquiry say they would rather go to jail than hand over names. Journalists will risk jail to protect sources February 13 2004 Channel 4 journalist Alex Thomson and ex-colleague Lena Ferguson will not be prosecuted for refusing to divulge sources to the Bloody Sunday inquiry, Lord Saville announces. Judge drops Bloody Sunday threat February 13 2004 On the final day of oral evidence at the inquiry, the Provisional IRA's former leader in Derry refuses to give the location of an arms dump in the Bogside, from which it is claimed weapons were moved the night before Bloody Sunday. The testimony of the final witness, known as PIRA 24, brings the evidence session of the tribunal to a close. The inquiry has received evidence from more than 900 witnesses, and is thought to have cost £127m so far, including almost £70m on lawyers' fees. The final cost could be as high as £155m. Lord Saville and his two fellow judges, William Hoyt and John Toohey, are expected to deliver the findings in the first half of 2005, more than seven years after Prime Minister Tony Blair announced to the House of Commons that the inquiry was being set up. November 22 2004 The Saville inquiry resumes in Derry to hear the closing speech by counsel to the inquiry Christopher Clarke, which is expected to last two days. He is outlining a summary of the eight to ten volumes of written material collated over the more than four years of the inquiry, and is expected to give hints about its conclusions. Bloody Sunday: the final reckoning begins November 26 2004 A government bill to cut the cost and length of public inquiries is published. It follows widespread criticism of the seven years and £150m spent on the Saville inquiry. Bill to limit inquiry costs January 19 2005 49-year-old Republican Martin Doherty becomes the first person to be jailed for contempt of the Bloody Sunday inquiry. Republican jailed for contempt April 7 2005 Richard Norton-Taylor's play Bloody Sunday, Scenes from the Saville Inquiry appears at the Tricycle Theatre, London; in September it premieres in Derry. Fourteen million words later... Why isn't this shown on the BBC? March 18 2008 Jonathan Powell reveals in his memoirs Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland that Martin McGuinness viewed the Bloody Sunday inquiry as unnecessary. McGuinness: there was no need for Bloody Sunday inquiry November 6 2008 It is announced that the official report into Bloody Sunday will be delayed for at least another year. Saville delays Bloody Sunday report for a year April 6 2009 It is revealed that the Saville Inquiry final report will be further delayed until after the general election. Final publication is eventually set for June 15 2010. Bloody Sunday inquiry report to be released after general election