Witness O named Seamus McLoughlin, Mick Murray, Michael Hayes and James Gavin at the inquests into the deaths of 21 people killed in the bombings at two pubs. More than 200 people were injured when the bombs exploded in the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town on the evening of November 21, 1974. The witness told the inquest he was given permission to name the alleged bombers, who are all dead except for Hayes, by the IRA head in Dublin six months ago.
Witness at inquest names four men he claims carried out Birmingham pub bombings in 1974 (Image: BBC)
During his evidence, he also referred to “Dublin Dave" and "Socks", who may also have been connected to the bombings.
Witness O claimed he was also part of an IRA gang in Birmingham, but was in prison at the time of the bombings.
Six innocent men, known as the Birmingham Six, were convicted of the murders in 1975 and spent nearly 17 years in prison before their convictions were quashed in 1991.
Speaking through a video link, Witness O named McLoughlin - who died in 2014 - as head of the IRA in Birmingham at the time of the bombings.
Michael Hayes was named at today's inquest as one of four IRA men who bombed Birmingham pubs (Image: Getty)
McLoughlin was also responsible for selecting the targets, Witness O claimed.
He said he
