IRA Families Receive Settlements 43 Years After SAS Shootings in County Tyrone

The High Court has confirmed that the families of Brian Campbell, 19, and Colm McGirr, 23, have reached confidential settlements in their claims for damages. The two Irish Republican Army (IRA) members were fatally shot by British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers during an operation at an arms dump near Coalisland, County Tyrone, in December 1983.

Relatives initiated legal action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), alleging a 'shoot-to-kill' policy and a failure to conduct an effective investigation into the deaths. The settlements were announced in court on Friday, with the families stating they would make a donation to charity.

According to the families' legal representatives, British troops conducting three-day surveillance at the Cloghog Road location opened fire on Campbell and McGirr as they accessed a weapons cache. An earlier inquest in 1985 made no significant findings, but a 2013 Historical Enquiries Team (HET) report provided crucial new evidence. This expert analysis concluded that the positioning of McGirr's body was consistent with him being shot while kneeling, and that Campbell was not struck by shots from the front.

These findings led the families to issue legal proceedings in 2016. Barrister Des Fahy KC informed the court of the undisclosed settlements. Mr Justice Rooney acknowledged the resolution, stating, "It is good news to hear that two actions have been resolved after this length of time."

Speaking after the ruling, Brian McGirr, brother of Colm McGirr, stated the families had been "fighting to get justice" for 43 years, expressing satisfaction with the campaign's outcome. Michael Campbell, brother of Brian Campbell, emphasised the "vital" role of forensics in proving "without doubt how Brian and Colm died."

The families' solicitor, Pádraig Ó Muirigh, explained that the confidential terms followed weeks of negotiations, highlighting the families' aim "to expose the circumstances" of the deaths and challenge what they maintained was a 'shoot-to-kill' policy. Ó Muirigh reiterated the significance of the HET report, which indicated both men were shot from behind, leading to the legal challenge against the PSNI and MoD.