A WEST Belfast man who survived a murder attempt by the British army has been the subject of "gravely defamatory" comments by four media outlets, his legal representative says.
Eugene Devlin was targeted on May 12,1972, by the shadowy undercover British army unit known as the Military Reaction Force (MRF) in the Slievegallion area of Andersonstown.
Articles published in recent days by the News Letter, the Telegraph, GB News and the Daily Mail appear to have confused Mr Devlin with another Eugene Devlin, a father-of-one who was shot and killed in a separate incident in December that year – an IRA sniper attack on a British army patrol in Strabane.
Mr Ó Muirigh says the rash of stories began on Saturday when the Telegraph newspaper published an article headlined 'Veteran Who Shot IRA gunman faces fresh Troubles "show trial"'.
This article stated: “A British army veteran is being prosecuted for the attempted murder of an IRA gunman more than 50 years after the terrorist was shot, it can be revealed. Known as Soldier B, he faces trial over the shooting of Eugene Devlin in West Belfast in May 1972.
“Mr Devlin, a father-of-one, was later shot and killed in a separate incident in December that year, during an attempted sniper attack on a British army patrol in Strabane. He was buried in Strabane Cemetery in County Tyrone with a full IRA guard of honour and is listed in the IRA roll of honour."
On the same day, the GB News online platform published an article based on the Telegraph story headlined 'Veteran faces fresh "show trial" over shooting of IRA gunman more than five decades ago'.
This article stated: "A British army veteran is being prosecuted for the attempted murder of an IRA gunman more than five decades after the terrorist was shot. The veteran, known as Soldier B, faces trial over the shooting of Eugene Devlin in West Belfast in May 1972, the Telegraph reported.
“The gunman is alleged to have fired at least one shot. Mr Devlin was then shot and wounded."
On Monday, the Daily Mail online platform published an article headlined 'Now ANOTHER veteran, 78, faces attempted murder trial for IRA terrorist shooting 50 years on'.
The article stated: "Soldier B was patrolling in the Andersonstown area of West Belfast on May 12th 1972, when a gunman was identified.
“Terrorist Eugene Devlin was shot and injured at the scene."
Solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh
Also on Monday, the News Letter online platform published an article headlined 'New veterans protections actually widely available, admits Labour'.
The article stated: “The statement came as the Daily Telegraph reported news of another Troubles legacy prosecution, with a 78-year-old known as Soldier B facing trial over the shooting of IRA gunman Eugene Devllin in West Belfast in 1972.
“The army man was on duty in the heavily republican Andersonstown area of Belfast in May 1972 when his patrol sighted a man – named as IRA member Eugene Devlin – armed with a rifle. Devlin’s alleged to have fired at least one shot, and was wounded by the patrol’s weapons. Soldier B now faces an attempted murder rap."
Solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh said all four media outlets have got it completely wrong.
"The person referred to in these articles is our client," said Mr Ó Muirigh. "He was the victim of a wholly unjustified attempt on his life on the 12th May 1972 by a shadowy undercover British army unit known as the Military Reaction Force (MRF).
"Our client survived that attack and is alive. He is a witness in the upcoming related criminal trial of former soldiers in relation to their alleged role in his attempted murder. He also initiated civil proceedings against the Ministry of Defence in 2014 in the aftermath of damning revelations in a BBC Panorama documentary in relation to the activities of the MRF.
"Our client was not, and is not, an IRA gunman. Our client is not, and was not, a member of the IRA. Our client is a person of excellent good character, with no criminal convictions.
"We consider the words published by the Telegraph, GB News, the News Letter and the Daily Mail to be gravely defamatory of our client. Neither the Telegraph, GB News, the News Letter or the Daily Mail made any attempt to contact our client or our office to verify the matters asserted as fact in these articles.
"The journalism exhibited fell far below the standard expected of responsible journalists acting responsibility as per the decision in Reynolds v Times Newspapers [2001] 2 AC 127.
"These allegations and imputations made against our client are wholly untrue and without any basis whatsoever. The allegations and imputations are unequivocally defamatory of our client.
"The allegations have caused our client upset, distress and embarrassment. This upset, distress and embarrassment has been compounded by the widespread media coverage their publication has attracted.
"Our client intends to take all necessary steps to vindicate his position in relation to the defamatory allegations published in these articles.
"We have written to the Telegraph, GB News, the News Letter and the Daily Mail and have requested that they withdraw the defamatory allegations and publish an immediate retraction on all media platforms operated by them. We have also requested an apology and the payment of appropriate damages to our client.
"In the absence of an adequate response by them our client reserves the right to initiate defamation proceedings against them without any further notice being given."
