THE families of five men killed by British soldiers on Bloody Sunday in 1972 will legally challenge a decision not to prosecute five former paratroopers over their deaths.

Solicitors for the families of Jackie Duddy, Michael Kelly, John Young, Michael McDaid and William McKinney said that a five-day judicial review would begin on September 20.

It will challenge a previous decision by Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) not to prosecute five soldiers over the killings of those named, solicitor Fearghal Shiels said.

“The families warmly welcome today’s decision and look forward with confidence to the full hearing in the autumn,” he said on Thursday evening.

Thirteen unarmed civilians were shot dead by troops in Derry during a civil rights protest on January 30 1972, in an event known as Bloody Sunday.

At least 15 more were injured, with one of those dying from his wounds several months later.

The British state has been accused of a whitewash with just one former paratrooper, known as Soldier F, facing murder charges over the deaths of James Wray and McKinney and charges of attempted murder over the deaths of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O’Donnell.

Announcing charges against Soldier F in 2019, the PPS said that there was “insufficient evidence for a reasonable prospect of conviction” for the other former troops involved.

Debate is ongoing over legislation proposed by the British government to protect army veterans from prosecution for actions committed while on active service.

The Overseas Operations Bill has been described by Labour MP Richard Burgon as “a barrier to justice for victims of torture, murder and war crimes,” with other critics saying that it would protect the Ministry of Defence from claims against it by former soldiers.