Ballymurphy families' shock over retention of body parts

The families of five of the victims in the 1971 Ballymurphy killings say they are shocked to learn tissue samples and organs were kept without their consent or knowledge.

They were taken during the original post-mortem examinations 50 years ago.

In May an inquest found that 10 people killed in the wake of an Army operation were entirely innocent.

Their families say this latest news has renewed their pain.

The inquest examined the deaths in and around the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast in August 1971.

In a letter from the Coroner's Office six weeks after the inquest verdict, they were asked if they wanted the items taken during the post-mortem examinations to be returned to them or destroyed.

Anne Ferguson, the daughter of victim John McKerr, found out her father's brain had been removed in 1971 and had since been destroyed.

"We were up in cloud nine at the end of the inquest when we had cleared my dad's name," she said.

"Now we're wondering why are we being lied to? Why did they take his brain? Why have they disposed of it and kept the slides? It puts a great doubt in my mind that we've been lied to, there's a cover up."

The daughter of Joan Connolly said the revelation had brought new trauma.

Joan Connolly's mother - also Joan Connolly - was one of the victims.

"So he has this 44-year-old lady, mother of eight lying on a cold slab in a mortuary, doing a post-mortem on her, and he does what he has to do scientifically," she said.

"And then just as an after thought 'Oh, I think I'll just take a piece of her heart'. Why?"

In 2012 the Police Service of Northern Ireland did an audit of all human tissue retention cases.

Families were informed but the five families of Ballymurphy victims were not.