FAMILIES seeking justice for the Bloody Sunday killings are seeking a judicial review into a decision not to prosecute other soldiers for murder or attempted murder.

They are challenging the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPS) decision to bring charges against just one member of the Parachute Regiment for the murders of  William McKinney and James Wray in Derry on January 30 1972.

Thirteen unarmed civilians were killed when British soldiers opened fire on a peaceful civil rights march. Another died in hospital four months later.

Families of those killed expressed “profound disappointment and shock” at the PPS decision not to bring charges against 16 other soldiers.

Bloody Sunday saw 108 high-velocity rounds fired by identified individuals in 1 Para in killings described by the Saville Inquiry as “unjustified and unjustifiable.”

The PPS claimed there was not enough evidence for a reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution in the other cases, leaving the families of those killed feeling justice had not been fully served.

Lawyers previously suggested the destruction of guns used just three days before the opening of the Saville Inquiry in 1998 may have prevented other charges being brought. Two more rifles were destroyed after the inquiry started despite Lord Saville ordering them to be kept safe.

In a letter to PPS deputy director Michael Agnew, solicitors Madden and Finucane requested that Soldier F is charged and prosecuted without the benefit of anonymity to ensure the prosecution is carried out “in a fair, open, transparent – and most importantly – public manner.”

It reminded the PPS that “a mere four soldiers” have been prosecuted for murder during the Troubles “in circumstances where the British Army were responsible for the deaths of over 300 civilians” including 60 children.

They warned against the decision regarding anonymity being affected by “political interference in the independence of the role of the PPS.” 

Madden and Finucane said the case raised issues over the credibility of and public confidence in the PPS, demanding an urgent response to the issues raised.

It promised to continue to closely scrutinise the decisions reached in cases not to prosecute other soliders – including three other murders and two attempted murders by Soldier F.

“We fully intend to challenge decisions not to prosecute other soldiers for murder and attempted murder by way of judicial review in the High Court,” the letter concluded.