THE scope for inquests into the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings could now be widened to include the identities of the alleged perpetrators, a law firm representing some of the victims said yesterday.

KRW Law — acting for campaign group Justice 4 the 21, representing the families of 10 victims — said permission had been granted for a judicial review on November 27 into the coroner’s ruling that alleged perpetrators could not be named in evidence.

It said the decision was an “important achievement in the ongoing quest for truth, justice and accountability for our clients.”

Justice 4 the 21 said it would boycott the inquest after the coroner’s ruling.

The inquests will explore the circumstances of the 21 people killed and 182 people injured in the IRA bombings of two pubs — the Tavern in the Town and the nearby Mulberry Bush — on November 21 1974.

The Birmingham Six were wrongly jailed for the bombings, spending nearly 17 years behind bars before their convictions were quashed.

Justice 4 the 21 says it needs to raise £50,000 to pay for the next stage of the legal bid. Around £13,000 has been raised so far.

Spokeswoman Julie Hambleton said that coroner Sir Peter Thornton had lodged arguments against the application.

Ms Hambleton told the Star: “How is it possibly morally, ethically or economically acceptable, for the system to withhold the truth from us and expect us to pay our way to battle them for this truth?

“The costs to the system are borne by the victims through our taxation — we are having to beg for funding to access a legal system that is meant to be available to all.”

To support the appeal visit:
www.crowdjustice.com/case/justice4the21