Verdict Anticipated in Bloody Sunday Murder Case

A Belfast court is expected to deliver its verdict Thursday regarding Soldier F, the only British soldier charged with murder over the Bloody Sunday 1972 killings. The incident involved the shooting of 13 unarmed Catholic civil rights marchers in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

During the trial, which lasted one month and was conducted without a jury, Soldier F maintained a not guilty plea to the seven charges levied against him, and he did not testify. The defence argued the military statements from 50 years ago were unreliable without independent corroboration.

The Bloody Sunday event marked the deadliest episode during the sectarian conflict over Northern Ireland's future. The British government issued an apology in 2010, acknowledging the innocence of the victims following a judicial inquiry.