Northamptonshire veterans to travel to London for Northern Ireland justice march

File photo dated 01/10/1969 of a British soldier of the Queen's Regiment on duty beside a barricade in the Falls Road area of Belfast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday July 30, 2007. The Army's 38-year operation in Northern Ireland, known as Operation Banner, comes to an end at midnight. It has been the Army's longest continuous campaign in its history, with more than 300,000 personnel serving over 38 years and 763 soldiers killed. See PA story ULSTER Military. Photo credit should read: PA Wire Ulster_Drumcree_barbed_wire

The investigations will be looking into historic crimes allegedly committed by servicemen.

Tim Almond is one of those joining the protest at 11am on Good Friday (April 14).

He said: “These alleged crimes have previously been investigated by the relevant authorities and there was found to be no case to answer.

“Others having been found guilty of offences have been dealt with by the justice system, though many of those convictions have previous been quashed.

“Another matter, though just as important, is the lack of funds being provided for service families to pursue cases against terrorists such as the Hyde Park bombing which murdered four officers and men of the Household Cavalry as well as killing a number of horses where legal aid has been refused, as the case was not in the public interest.

“The day will see thousands of forces veterans and civilian supporters protesting in Whitehall in an attempt to put an end to these witchhunts and introduce fairness in to what has become a system driven by the associates of former terrorists.

“A number of veterans from Northamptonshire will be in attendance, we ‘Poachers’ from Finedon will be leaving by minibus, while other make their way by car, motorcycle, and train.

“I urge all veterans from the area to join us.

“If we can drum up enough support there is a possibility that subsidised coaches will be provided on the day.”

Details on subsidised coaches can be found at the Facebook group Justice For N.Ireland Vets or http://www.justicefornivets.com/, a website which should go live on Thursday, March 23.

Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans (JFNIV) made the following statement about the protests.

The statement said: “JFNIV is not affiliated to any political party and does not as a group support any political doctrine.

“JFNIV is a pressure group with one aim, to lobby Parliament to stop the historical investigations against veterans of Northern Ireland who were previously investigated by the RUC and the SIB.

“JFNIV does not represent any religious group.

“JFNIV is not associated with any charity or fund raising group and we do not intend to raise funds at our marches.

“JFNIV requests all supporters not to wear any insignia that represents any religious group, political association or charity. Only those banners approved by JFNIV will be permitted at our marches.

“Regimental insignia including flags, berets, blazers, medals and ties are most welcome.

“JFNIV wishes to make it clear that it dissociates itself from any individual or group who misuse our marches for any other purpose than those stated above.

“JFNIV dissociates itself from any act of violence, verbal abuse of law officers or members of the public.

“In the event that our organisation is subjected to abuse from members of the public we expect our supporters not to react and to march with the same discipline that they showed during their military service.

“Our complaints and demands are directed at Parliament.”

Marches will also take place in Belfast and Glasgow.