Disgraceful! Now SAS Heroes Face Trial

SAS heroes hounded for doing their duty

- John Ingham

SAS heroes are the latest victims of a legal witch hunt – 40 years after serving in Northern Ireland.

About 10 special forces veterans face investigation and possible trial over the Troubles.

Members of the Who Dares Wins unit undertook high-risk undercover missions to fight terrorists in the region.

MP Johnny Mercer, pictured, who was fired as Veterans Minister after criticising the Government for not protecting soldiers, said: “We are ruining people’s lives.” While one SAS veteran of the conflict said: “My colleagues and I risked our lives on a daily basis. Forty-odd years later as a ‘thank you’, the state is hounding us for doing our duty and helping protect the innocent.”

Boris Johnson has often pledged to stop “vexatious” prosecutions of ex-soldiers. But laws safeguarding troops on foreign operations do not cover those on Operation Banner, the deployment in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007.

Legislation to address the issue has been delayed and there are claims that the Government fears provoking Republican Sinn Fein.

A senior source said yesterday: “Decisions about charging veterans are being made at the moment. There are a number of cases involving individuals from a number of different units, one of which is the SAS.

“If the Government fails to honour its promise to protect these veterans, you will see a slow trickle of these men going to trial.”

Rusty Firmin, who served with the SAS in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s, said: “I know personally some of the SAS and [special forces] lads that are being and have been pursued.