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Thirteen people were killed on Bloody Sunday in January 1972 and another died of his injuries some months later
A former soldier has been arrested by detectives investigating the events of Bloody Sunday in Londonderry.
Thirteen people were killed when British paratroopers opened fire on a civil rights march through the city in January 1972. A fourteenth died later.
The 66-year-old is a former member of the Parachute Regiment.
It is understood he is being questioned over the deaths of William Nash, Michael McDaid and John Young.
The man is the first person to be arrested as part of the Bloody Sunday investigation.
He is being interviewed at a police station in Belfast after being detained in County Antrim on Tuesday morning.
He is soldier J, who was one of the soldiers who appeared before the Saville Inquiry.
Earlier, Kate Nash, whose 19-year-old brother, William, was killed on Bloody Sunday, said she welcomed the news.
“I had a call this morning from the police liaison officer that deals with our family,” said Ms Nash.
“She said that they had arrested a soldier and that he was being questioned. She said she wanted the family to know first before it went out on the news.
“She said he was being questioned in relation to the death of my brother, William and two others: Michael McDaid, John Young and the attempted murder of my father.
“I started to shake. I couldn’t believe it. I became very emotional.
“To see a soldier even being questioned has truly shocked me. I never thought it would get to this.
“There is a flicker of hope. It’s a very positive step.”
The officer leading the investigation, Det Ch Insp Ian Harrison, said the arrest “marked a new phase in the overall investigation which would continue for some time”.
‘No warning’
A Ministry of Defence (MOD) spokesperson said: “We are aware an ex-soldier has been arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in connection with their investigation into the events of Bloody Sunday.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further on an ongoing criminal investigation at this stage.”
Bloody Sunday was one of the most controversial days in Northern Ireland’s history.
In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron apologised to the Bloody Sunday victims on behalf of the state, after a long-running public inquiry unequivocally blamed the Army for the civilian deaths.
BBC