Army ‘should down tools’ fumes ex-Major as coroner rules SAS’s killing of four armed IRA terrorists was unjustified

A CORONER sparked fury by ruling SAS soldiers were unjustified successful sidesplitting 4 equipped IRA terrorists.

Ex-SAS Regimental Sergeant Major George Simm said the British Army “should down tools” successful protest.

The IRA pack members, equipped with battle rifles and dense instrumentality gun, were killed soon aft firing connected a constabulary presumption successful 1992.

The SAS ambushed them arsenic they pulled into the car parkland of a religion successful a stolen motortruck astatine Clonoe, Co Tyrone.

At the bequest inquest successful Belfast, Coroner Justice Michael Humphreys ruled yesterday the SAS unit’s usage of lethal unit was unjustified.

He said the troops did not person an honorable content that it was ­necessary to ­prevent nonaccomplishment of life.

Kevin O’Donnell, 21, Patrick Vincent, 20, Sean O’Farrell, 22, and Peter Clancy, 21, were killed.

Mr Simm, 70, the astir elder enlisted SAS worker astatine the time, said: “If the justice thinks it unreasonable to usage lethal unit erstwhile terrorists are equipped with an anti-aircraft limb that could sprout done 2 houses, possibly helium could enlighten america connected what is ­reasonable.

"And until that clip the full British Army should down tools.

“How tin the Government, however tin the country, expect soldiers to bash their work if they cognize they volition beryllium dragged done the courts for the remainder of their lives?”

The soldiers progressive — each present successful their mid to precocious 60s — person not been named.

Simm, awarded a DSO gallantry medal successful the 1980s, said they were each “disillusioned and confused”.

Mr Justice Humphreys rejected the unit’s “demonstrably untrue” claims that the IRA members opened occurrence successful the car park.

The families’ ineligible squad said they would “consider the verdict regarding immoderate imaginable of prosecutions”.

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