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| Birmingham pub bombings: Hearing over inquests into deaths | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A hearing that could lead to the reopening of inquests into the deaths of 21 people killed in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings is underway. | |
| A lawyer for three of the victims families claimed police had an IRA "mole" who warned them of the attacks. | |
| Paddy Hill, one of six wrongly convicted of the bombings, said: "We've had 41 years of nothing but lies." | |
| The QC for West Midlands Police said there were three lines of inquiry that could lead to "potential new evidence". | The QC for West Midlands Police said there were three lines of inquiry that could lead to "potential new evidence". |
| Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine died, is leading the campaign for new inquests. | |
| She said: "What sort of society are we living in if we don't fight for those who died?" | She said: "What sort of society are we living in if we don't fight for those who died?" |
| More on this story and others Birmingham and Black Country | More on this story and others Birmingham and Black Country |
| Ashley Underwood QC, for three of the families, described the bombings as "the most horrific mass murder in living memory" followed by "the most serious miscarriage of justice in living memory". | |
| He said officers may have wrongly prosecuted the six knowing they were innocent in order to protect their "mole" and cover up the fact that they had prior knowledge of the attacks. | |
| Mr Hill said: "I want the truth as well, we never get justice, but the one thing we can get is the thing we deserve the most, and that's the truth." | |
| Paul Rowland, whose father John died in the attacks, spoke publicly for the first time to BBC WM. He said: "If there are people that are free now that have committed that act, whatever the excuse, I'm interested in seeing the facts, I think they should be brought to justice. If somebody has committed mass murder it's only right." | |
| Jeremy Johnson QC, for West Midlands Police, said the possibility of fresh forensic evidence was now being pursued with the help of the Army. | |
| He said police were also looking at information about the bombings in a book published by a former member of the IRA and an account given to officers last August by a former firefighter, Alan Hill. | |
| Louise Hunt, the senior coroner for Birmingham, will hear from the families of three of the people murdered in the attacks - Maxine Hambleton, Trevor Thrupp and James Craig - as well as other "interested persons". | |
| The hearing at Solihull Coroners' Court is expected to last for three days with a decision expected in two weeks' time. | |
| An inquest was opened and adjourned in 1975 but, because the case was subject to a criminal investigation that resulted in the conviction of six men, it was never resumed. | An inquest was opened and adjourned in 1975 but, because the case was subject to a criminal investigation that resulted in the conviction of six men, it was never resumed. |
| The convictions of the Birmingham Six were quashed in 1991. | The convictions of the Birmingham Six were quashed in 1991. |
| The families argue the inquests should be resumed as the original process was never completed. | The families argue the inquests should be resumed as the original process was never completed. |
| Analysis: Phil Mackie, BBC Midlands correspondent | Analysis: Phil Mackie, BBC Midlands correspondent |
| This could be the last chance, in their lifetimes, for campaigners to have evidence heard in public which wasn't available in 1974. They'll hope coroner Louise Hunt will agree the inquest should be reopened and key witnesses, who the families believe can identify the bombers, be called. | This could be the last chance, in their lifetimes, for campaigners to have evidence heard in public which wasn't available in 1974. They'll hope coroner Louise Hunt will agree the inquest should be reopened and key witnesses, who the families believe can identify the bombers, be called. |
| West Midlands Police says the investigation remains active but there's not enough evidence for a fresh prosecution. | West Midlands Police says the investigation remains active but there's not enough evidence for a fresh prosecution. |
| Calls for a public inquiry have fallen on deaf ears, which means an inquest remains the best chance for the families to discover who was responsible for the attacks. | Calls for a public inquiry have fallen on deaf ears, which means an inquest remains the best chance for the families to discover who was responsible for the attacks. |
| Ordinarily a coroner's job is to determine how, where and when a person died, as well as their identity. In this case all of those facts are known, but the coroner can also investigate the circumstances of someone's death. | Ordinarily a coroner's job is to determine how, where and when a person died, as well as their identity. In this case all of those facts are known, but the coroner can also investigate the circumstances of someone's death. |
| The victims' relatives are pinning their hopes on a resumption, and that it will be as far-reaching as the Hillsborough Inquest. | The victims' relatives are pinning their hopes on a resumption, and that it will be as far-reaching as the Hillsborough Inquest. |
| Birmingham pub bombings inquests: What we know | Birmingham pub bombings inquests: What we know |