Birmingham pub bombings: 'No evidence of state involvement' in attack

Ten people died in the first blast at the Mulberry Bush, below the Rotunda building

There is "no evidence" of involvement in the Birmingham pub bombings by a state agent or informant, a pre-inquest hearing was told.

Victims' families had questioned if anyone with links to the British state within the IRA cell responsible had been involved in the 1974 attack.

A total of 21 people were killed and 220 injured in explosions in two city centre pubs.

The hearing was adjourned for a final pre-inquest on 11 February.

At the hearing, Peter Skelton, counsel to the coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC, said: "At present, there is no evidence of a state agent or informant in the bombings."

Two bombs exploded in the Tavern in the Town and Mulberry Bush pubs in Birmingham city centre on the night of 21 November.

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Twenty-one people died when two bombs were detonated in Birmingham in 1974

The attack was the worst on the UK mainland since the Second World War, until the July 7/7 bombings.

Speaking on witnesses' evidence to be heard at a forthcoming hearing, Sir Peter said: "Some of them are really quite shocking."

The coroner has already ruled out hearing evidence on naming who may have planted the bombs, to the dismay of some of the bereaved families.

A new inquest looking at the circumstances in which the bombings happened is set to begin on 25 February. The inquest's jury will also visit the former sites of both pubs.

Kevin Morgan, a barrister representing a group of 10 of the bereaved families, asked for further steps to be taken by the coroner over disclosure of documents.

At a previous hearing, the coroner heard two folders of evidence, destined at the time of the attacks for a government intelligence sub-committee, had since gone missing.

Mr Morgan said: "We believe there would have been or should have been at the very highest level official documentation as to how to deal with this bombing campaign."

He added: "If there are policies we need to consider if they were followed, whether they were appropriate, and if they weren't followed, why they weren't."

The coroner will rule on the disclosure application in due course, and the hearing was adjourned until the final pre-inquest hearing on 11 February.

Amendment 14 March 2019: This story has been updated to reflect the most recent information that 220 people were injured in the blasts.

Amendment 22 January: This story has been updated with direct quotes from barrister Kevin Morgan to add further context to the disclosure application.