Francis Bradley was killed in an SAS ambush 40 years ago today
DOCUMENTS released during the inquest of IRA man Francis Bradley reveal the extent of information the RUC received in the weeks and months after his death.
Francis Bradley (20) was shot eight times during an undercover ambush close to an arms dump near Toome on February 18, 1986 – 40 years ago today.
In October 2024 a coroner found the use of force was “reasonable” – a finding which is being challenged through the courts.
Previously unknown details of the SAS operation that claimed Mr Bradley’s life emerged during a 2024 inquest.
However, inked documents now seen by The Irish News, also reveal the extent of intelligence received by the RUC in the aftermath of the SAS ambush.
While some information is redacted via Public Interest Immunity, other material provides a glimpse into intelligence available to state agencies one PSNI document marked “intelligence report” and “secret”, dated June 2003, reveals the police knew the IRA had relaunched an investigation into the circumstances of Mr Bradley’s killing at that time.
A similar document, dated May 2023, contains the same information.
It is understood that a re-investigation was prompted after fresh questions about the case were raised by members of the Bradley family.
During Mr Bradley’s inquest, the British soldiers responsible for killing him were referred to as a Specialist Military Unit.
The police documents confirm the “fatal wounds were inflicted by the SAS” – a rare admission of the unit’s involvement.
The documents also state the IRA did not immediately admit Mr Bradley was a member out of “respect for the family”.
Other documents suggest two weapons found close to Mr Bradley when he was shot were to be used in a planned IRA operation, which had been abandoned.
Another police file, dated March 23, 1986 – a month after the fatal shooting – confirms a person whose name is redacted told police “that he was having problems with the South Derry PIRA”.
As an example, the police document says, he mentioned the “man recently shot dead” – a reference to Mr Bradley.
“He explained that this man had not been a member of PIRA but had carried out more operations than any of the volunteers in that area,” the document states.
The source also claimed Mr Bradley and others had encountered an “undercover surveillance car” before dumping the weapons behind a nearby property.
At the inquest, two British soldiers told the coroner how they were confronted by a car carrying five men, which was described as a “PIRA vehicle”, after the registration was relayed over the radio.
The pair said they had earlier seen Mr Bradley standing behind a parked car close to a disused railway line near the ambush site.
The weapons recovered when Mr Bradley was shot included an AR-15, which was later linked to the killing of an SAS man during a shoot-out near Maghera in Co Derry in March 1978.
In a follow-up operation, IRA hunger striker Francis Hughes, who was wounded in the gun battle, was arrested.
A second weapon recovered after Mr Bradley was shot, an FN-FNC, had only been used once before during a gun attack at Castledawson RUC station in December 1985, for which Mr Bradley was later questioned.
The documents also reveal details of an IRA arms dump discovered near Maghera in March 1986.
Intelligence documents suggest the two guns, .223 Armalite rifles, may have been brought into the south Derry area to replace the pair recovered after Mr Bradley was killed.
Information contained in “intelligence reports” touch on the activities and modus operandi of the IRA in south Derry at the time.
The documents also reveal how the RUC became aware of the Maghera dump, which included two balaclavas and two pairs of gloves, and suggest the weapons, which had loaded magazines, were ready for use.
Describing the loss of the guns as a “setback” for the local IRA group, one intelligence document suggests they will be replaced.
The document also states where other IRA arms dumps at the time were located.
False claims over informer caused family ‘mental turmoil’
THE brother of an IRA member shot dead in disputed circumstances has spoken of the mental turmoil caused by false claims about the alleged role of an informer in the killing.
Francis Bradley (20) was shot eight times during an undercover ambush at an arms dump near Toome in February 1986.
His name was later added to the IRA’s roll of honour.
An inquest held over several months in 2024 found that Mr Bradley was initially shot while presenting his rear to the shooter – Solider A – one of two British soldiers to open fire.
A second SAS member, known as Soldier C, fired 20 shots, including a burst of three rounds at close range as he lay on his back.
In the months before the ambush, Mr Bradley was told by members of the RUC that he wouldn’t see his 21st birthday.
A coroner later found the use of lethal force was “reasonable” – a finding which is being challenged through the courts.
During the inquest, evidence was heard from a witness known as C3, a close friend of Mr Bradley.
A former republican prisoner, he denied passing on any information that resulted in the death of his former friend.
Mr Bradley’s brother, Brian Bradley, now says the untrue claims caused him mental anguish.
“In the years following Francis’s tragic death, myself and my family have endured an immense amount of pain and heartache,” he said.
“For many years we were led to believe that Francis had been set up by his best friend, who was a wellknown businessman and republican.
“The narrative caused not just confusion but emotional and mental turmoil as I struggled to understand the truth, which led me to be dubious of everyone I thought I trusted,” he said.
Mr Bradley added that the witness apologised during the inquest.
Mr Bradley acknowledged that although his family had an inquest, the near 40-year wait was “unacceptable” and raised concerns that British soldiers were allowed to give their evidence remotely.
“Soldier A did tell the inquest he fired a shot, which hit Francis, who then fell to the ground,” he said.
“Francis was no longer a target and Soldier A moved on.
“Soldier C then shot Francis as he lay on his back helpless, he then wouldn’t answer any questions about this at the inquest.”
Mr Bradley was unhappy with the overall findings and questioned whether “the SAS acted with reasonable force”.
“With all the evidence he received, anyone could see it was a ‘shoot-to-kill’.”
Solicitor Fearghal Shiels, of Madden and Finucane said: “We will now proceed with our legal challenge to the findings handed down by the coroner, which we contend are directly at odds with the evidence, and in particular the expert scientific evidence, presented to the inquest.
“The coroner’s conclusions offer no detailed or forensic analysis of the evidence and in our view do not withstand scrutiny.”