Elderly British Veteran Faces 'Show Trial' in Northern Ireland

A 78-year-old veteran of the Troubles, Soldier B, is set to face a trial in Northern Ireland for an incident that occurred over 50 years ago, despite being previously assured that no further action would be taken. The case has been condemned by General the Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, who compared the treatment of ex-soldiers to that of former terrorists as 'two-tier justice'. The decision to pursue the case has raised concerns among veterans that it is driven by political pressure rather than the force of evidence.

Key Takeaways:

Soldier B, a 78-year-old former paratrooper, is accused of attempted murder in relation to an incident in West Belfast on May 12th, 1972.
Soldier B had previously been assured by the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1997 that he would face no further action due to lack of evidence.
The case was overturned as part of a drive by Republicans to punish soldiers without new evidence, according to military sources.
The treatment of ex-soldiers like Soldier B has been compared to that of former terrorists by General the Lord Dannatt, who described it as 'two-tier justice'.
The legal process, spanning decades, is seen as the real punishment for veterans, rather than the potential outcome of the trial.
Northern Ireland veterans commissioner David Johnstone believes that cases like Soldier F and Soldier B are reaching court due to political pressure rather than the force of evidence.

Statistics:

1972: The year the incident allegedly occurred.
1997: The year Soldier B was told he would face no further action by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
78: The age of Soldier B.
12th May 1972: The date of the incident allegedly involving Soldier B.

Sources:

Crimea, E. (n.d.). Soldier F verdict sparks row over honour for Bloody Sunday soldiers. The Telegraph.
The Daily Mail (n.d.). Veterans of Bloody Sunday win right to march in Northern Ireland - after 47 years of campaigning. The Daily Mail.