Documentary exposes Loughinisland cover-up

One of loyalism’s most notorious mass murderers has been protected by the British state, according to a new documentary, as the former British soldier was named for the first time.

A new documentary allegedly identified the man who shot dead six Ireland football fans in 1994 as part of a series of murders.

‘No Stone Unturned’, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, investigates the collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and the state over the killing of six Catholic men in Loughinisland, County Down 23 years ago.

Adrian Rogan, Barney Green, Dan McCreanor, Eamon Byrne, Malcolm Jenkinson and Patsy O’Hara were all shot to death at The Heights Bar while watching the Ireland’s historic 1-0 World Cup win over Italy.

The extraordinary documentary, which was produced by Enniskillen-born journalist Trevor Birney, presents evidence that the perpetrator of the massacre was known to the RUC police and that the killing spree was covered up by authorities.

The film details how charges were never brought against the group involved in planning the attack - which included at least one double agent on the payroll of the British government at the time.

The man suspected of being the shooter was referred to as ‘Person A’ in an official inquiry published in 2016.

The report claimed that ‘Person A’ carried out several other murders during the conflict, including at least one while he was a serving member of a British Army regiment.

But the new Oscar-tipped documentary goes one step further and names the alleged serial murderer for the first time. He still lives near to where the massacre he is alleged to have perpetrated took place, where he runs a contract cleaning business.

Speaking at the premiere of ‘No Stone Unturned’ at the London Film Festival this month, the widow of one of the Loughinisland victims said it was a “great relief” that her husband’s alleged killer was being exposed.

Clare Rogan, whose husband Adrian was shot in the back, said the documentary will give hope to victims of state killings that have not resulted in legal justice.

“It makes us feel so much better that it is out in the open, and it lets the other families know it can be done,” she said.

“I don’t have any feelings about the gunman. It’s the cover-up that makes me angry -- the deceit, what they allowed to happen.”

The name of the documentary derives from Rogan’s memory of the police officers who promised to find out who had murdered the father of her children.

In an interview in the movie, she says: “I’ll never forget their words: ‘We will leave no stone unturned.’ Those words never left me because I don’t think they ever lifted a stone.”

The film suggests that officials had been tipped off before the massacre took place.

Gibney met some of the families while making a short film on the World Cup massacre for ESPN. He was drawn deeper into their quest for justice, and three years later he is able to answer some of their questions.

“At least one of the members of the gang of four was working for the state at the time of the murder. That’s pretty shocking,” Gibney said.

Emma, Adrian Rogan’s daughter, vividly remembers the day she was told: “Bad people came into the pub and Daddy was dead.”

She was one of the strongest advocates for demanding that her father’s murder be solved. At one point during the film, she breaks down in tears and says: “All we wanted was for someone to tell us the truth.”

This week, a judge granted leave for a judicial review of the successive police failures to properly investigate the gang.

Urgent Appeal