Recently uncovered footage from a BBC documentary, “Secret Army,” has revealed Irish minister Martin McGuinness planting a car bomb in Derry during the height of the Troubles in 1972.
McGuinness, then a young IRA commander, was captured on film planting the explosive device, which later injured 26 people when it detonated on a busy street in Derry, Northern Ireland.
The forgotten footage resurfaced, shedding light on some of the most prominent IRA leaders of the time and their campaigns.
At the age of 21, McGuinness was seen in the film alongside three other IRA members, loading a massive car bomb equipped with an alarm clock timer into the back of a vehicle.
Another disturbing clip from the documentary showed McGuinness handling a bullet and gun in the presence of children, highlighting the violence and influence of the IRA during that period.
The documentary was filmed by a team led by American academic Bowyer Bell, who reportedly faced threats of violence from the IRA if they did not have complete control over the film’s content.
Despite his involvement in militant activities, McGuinness later transitioned into politics and served as Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2007 until January 2017, when he passed away at the age of 66.
