SNP's John Mason apologises for IRA '˜freedom fighter' comments

Scottish National Party MSP John Mason has issued a formal apology after comparing the IRA killers of three Scottish soldiers in Northern Ireland to 'Freedom Fighters'.
John Mason SNP candidate for Shettleston arrives to casting his vote at Broomhouse Community Hall polling station in Glasgow as Scotland goes to the polls in the Scottish Parliament election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 5, 2016. The Holyrood election comes a year after the SNP won 56 out of 59 seats at the UK general election, and there are no signs the party's momentum is slowing. See PA story POLITICS Scotland. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA WireJohn Mason SNP candidate for Shettleston arrives to casting his vote at Broomhouse Community Hall polling station in Glasgow as Scotland goes to the polls in the Scottish Parliament election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 5, 2016. The Holyrood election comes a year after the SNP won 56 out of 59 seats at the UK general election, and there are no signs the party's momentum is slowing. See PA story POLITICS Scotland. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
John Mason SNP candidate for Shettleston arrives to casting his vote at Broomhouse Community Hall polling station in Glasgow as Scotland goes to the polls in the Scottish Parliament election. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 5, 2016. The Holyrood election comes a year after the SNP won 56 out of 59 seats at the UK general election, and there are no signs the party's momentum is slowing. See PA story POLITICS Scotland. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Fusiliers Dougald McCaughey (23), John McCaig (17) and Joseph McCaig (18) were lured from a Belfast bar by the IRA in 1971 on the pretext of meeting girls. They were then taken to north Belfast and shot. It was the first time the IRA targeted off-duty soldiers, causing tens of thousands to take the streets in protest. Nobody has ever stood trial for the murders.

Scottish National Party (SNP) MSP John Mason made headlines when he was asked via Twitter to support the campaign for a private prosecution against the killers. He responded that he was “not taking sides between Irish and British” and said that some people refer to the IRA as “Irish freedom fighters”.

Mr Mason has remained defiant over the past week and refused to retract his comments. However after persistent requests by the News Letter to SNP leader Nicola Salmond and former leader Alex Salmond for an apology and other media coverage of the matter, the SNP issued an apology this afternoon on behalf of Mr Mason, to the News Letter.

Its stated that John Mason said: “I deeply regret the offence and upset that has been caused to the relatives who lost loved ones and am extremely sorry that this has happened. I condemn and deplore all acts of terrorism. I do not intend to make any further comment.”

David McCaughey, a cousin of two of the soldiers, said: “He would have been better not to have got involved in the first place. Why did he just not say ‘no comment’.

“This apology now is a bit like bolting the door after the horse has bolted.

“No doubt Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond told him to do it because they just don’t want the grief this is causing the party.”