SAS veterans of Troubles must be spared endless threat of legal repercussions, warns former Armed Forces minister

SAS veterans who fought the IRA must not be left facing “endless legal jeopardy” decades after the Troubles, former Armed Forces Minister Al Carns has warned. The ex-Royal Marine backed a new report warning ageing troops risk fresh investigations and possible prosecution under Labour’s Troubles Bill. SAS veterans who fought the IRA must not be left facing ‘endless legal jeopardy’ decades after the Troubles, former Armed Forces Minister Al Carns has warned Credit: PA:Press Association ‘No soldier should be above the law. Equally, no soldier should face endless legal jeopardy’, said Carns Credit: EPA The Tories’ 2023 Legacy Act offered conditional immunity from prosecution to people accused of Troubles offences if they co-operated with the independent body investigating legacy cases. Labour’s legislation would scrap that immunity and allow some civil claims and inquests to resume. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Mr Carns said: “No soldier should be above the law. Equally, no soldier should face endless legal jeopardy. “Accountability is not the same as perpetual investigation. Justice is not served when the process itself becomes the punishment. “That is why this paper matters. It gives voice to men who were there, making decisions almost impossible to recreate 40 or 50 years later.” Policy Exchange is demanding ministers scrap the draft legislation, block new inquests and inquiries and be prepared to face down Strasbourg. But speaking in Belfast last week, Andy Burnham said the Bill would be brought back to Parliament in the autumn. A Government spokesperson said: “There was no equivalence between the lawful service of our veterans and the sickening deliberate actions of the terrorists. Most read in The Sun “We will make that clear in the Bill, and introduce a package of new, effective and lawful protections for our former service personnel.” Comment now