The mother of Peter McBride has said her son's killers' return to the army had sent a clear
message to other members of the British army.
Jean McBride was speaking after the dismissal "in disgrace" of three soldiers who abused prisoners in Iraq.
Mark Wright and James Fisher, who were convicted of Peter's murder,
were released from prison in 1998 and allowed to return to the British
army. Fisher has since been promoted to corporal.
The two killers have served in Iraq and are believed to be back in Germany serving with the Irish Guards.
"By sending these two over to Iraq, the British government was
telling the rest of their army that they could get away with the abuse
and murder that has happened in Belfast," said Jean McBride.
"There are still over 50 cases of abuse waiting to be heard."
Wright and Fisher claimed that they opened fire because they
thought Peter McBride was carrying a coffee jar bomb. These claims were
rejected and the pair were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.
In June last year a military watchdog said that the British army had been wrong to readmit the men.
The Independent Assessor of Military Complaints Procedures, Jim
McDonald, insisted the decision dealt "a major blow to the forces'
reputation".
"These men were dismissed in disgrace, but it's not a disgrace obviously when they murder someone," said Jean McBride.
"The British government should be reminded that it has got rid of
these abusers but still has two murderers in its ranks," said Jean
McBride.
