BBC forced into humiliating apology after describing IRA terrorist as a ‘veteran’

The BBC has apologised to the families of IRA murder victims  after describing a former member of the murderous group as a ‘veteran’.

Relatives of those killed in the Troubles were angered by the use of the word in a news report on the funeral of Eamon ‘Peggy’ McCourt.

The families said the term suggested the former gunman was a member of a legitimate military organisation.

McCourt, a leading member of the IRA in Londonderry, died aged 62 after reportedly battling Covid-19.

He was jailed during the Troubles and is said to have once accidentally shot dead a fellow IRA member.

McCourt was himself shot and seriously wounded by the British Army in 1981.

The BBC used the word ‘veteran’ in an online report about large crowds that caused Covid controversy at McCourt’s burial in Londonderry on Monday which has broken Covid rules.

Police said a ‘significant number of people’ gathered in a manner ‘likely to be in breach’ of virus rules.

The first line of the BBC report read: ‘Police have begun an investigation into potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations at the funeral of an IRA veteran in Londonderry.’ It also used the word ‘veteran’ in a post on Twitter.

Mark Tipper, whose brother Trooper Simon Tipper, 19, was one of four soldiers killed in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing, said the use of the term was ‘beyond belief’.

He said: ‘They have just glorified the IRA with the word veteran. My God, it stinks… it should be “IRA man – terrorist”.’

The BBC apologised and amended the report, using ‘man’ instead of veteran.

In a statement, it said: ‘We used the term “IRA veteran” to describe Eamon McCourt’s long involvement in Irish republicanism… No offence was intended and we regret any misunderstanding or upset that may have been caused.’