Birmingham pub bombings: no new inquiry

Relatives of people killed in IRA bombings have protested outside Windsor Castle ahead of a state banquet tonight which will be attended by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974 called for Mr McGuinness to be arrested, claiming he was involved in the atrocity.

Victor Barker, whose son was killed in the Omagh bombing in 1998, said he wanted people to be "reminded of McGuinness' past" as a member of the IRA.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain understands people affected by the Birmingham Pub bombings nearly 40 years ago are bitter, but says the reality is there will never be a resolution to who murdered the 21 in the attacks on two pubs in 1974.

The relative of a woman who died in the Birmingham pub bombings has described the decision not to re-open the inquiry into attacks as 'a sham'.

Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine died in 1974, told ITV News Central that victims' families had been treated like 'cannon fodder'.

She was speaking following a meeting with bosses at West Midlands Police headquarters.

The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has told ITV News Central that it would be "impossible" to restart the investigation into the Birmingham pub bombings without new information.

In an interview with presenter Bob Warman, Chris Sims added however that "it certainly isn't closed".

In a statement, CC Sims added that an investigation carried out between 1991 and 1994 was of a "good standard":

Relatives of the families of those killed in the 1974 Birmingham bombings met with West Midland Police today to discuss the possibility of a new inquiry into the death of their loved ones. The families were told there would be no new investigation, or proceedings.

Read: 'No fresh inquiry' into Birmingham bombings

Explaining the decision, Chief Constable Chris Sims said:

The families of those killed in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings say police have told them there will not be a fresh inquiry into the attacks.

They have been speaking following a meeting with bosses at West Midlands Police today.

ITV News Central Correspondent Keith Wilkinson said there was an angry response from the victims' families, following the talks.

Brian and Julie Hambleton, whose 18-year-old sister Maxine died in the bombings, said they would continue to fight on and would now be taking legal advice.

Six men were jailed for life for the atrocity in 1975, but sixteen years later, their convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal.

November 21, 1974

- Three bombs were planted.

- At 8.17pm, one of them exploded in a duffel bag in the Mulberry Bush pub in the Rotunda, killing 10 people.

- Ten minutes later, at 8.27pm, a second bomb exploded just 50 yards away in the Tavern in the Town, killing 11 more and injuring 182.

- A third bomb outside a bank on the Hagley Road failed to go off.

- Six Irish men were arrested within hours of the explosions.

August 15, 1975

- Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker were each handed 21 life sentences for the bombings.

March 14, 1991

- The Birmingham Six walk free after their second appeal is upheld. This followed years of campaigning and a number of media investigations which highlighted police failings.

The families of those killed in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings have been involved in 'angry exchanges' with police, ahead of a meeting with senior officers about whether to launch a fresh inquiry.

ITV News Central Correspondent Keith Wilkinson has witnessed a 'heated exchange' in the reception at West Midlands Police headquarters.

He said two legal representatives who were accompanying Brian Hambleton were initially told they would not be allowed to attend the meeting.

Mr Hambleton lost his 18-year-old sister Maxine in the bombings.

Keith Wilkinson said that after there were 'raised voices' and 'angry exchanges', the two legal representatives were allowed to go into the meeting.