THE Ministry of Defence has still not identified all the paratroopers involved in the infamous Ballymurphy massacre that took place over 40 years ago, Belfast coroner's court was told today. 

The MoD also revealed that it would be impossible to trace the weapons used in three days of shooting in Ballymurphy in 1971, which saw 10 civilians shot dead.

It said that serial numbers were not recorded after the incident.

The disclosures were made during a preliminary hearing prior to a new inquest into the massacre.

Lawyers representing relatives had asked the MoD to cross-reference the personnel files of the soldiers to establish if they had been involved in other lethal-force incidents in Northern Ireland around the same period.

It has long been believed that paratroopers on the ground in Ballymurphy may have also been in Derry on Bloody Sunday six months later, when 14 innocent men and boys were shot dead by the first battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Dr Tony McGleenan QC, representing the MoD and police, said yesterday that there was no objection in principle to conducting the exercise, but he revealed that not all the soldiers involved in Ballymurphy had been identified.

Dr McGleenan further told the court, which was full with members of the Ballymurphy families, that the MoD would not be able to trace the specific weapons used.

Sean Devine, representing some of the bereaved relatives, expressed concern.

“It is a matter of disappointment, especially as in other historic inquests weapons were capable of being traced,” he said.