The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) has made a renewed call for witnesses to a 1972 petrol bomb attack on a bus in Armagh that led to the death of a 38-year-old woman.

Margaret Johnston, known as Ruby, was travelling home from work on an Ulsterbus on the afternoon of Saturday, 5 February 1972, when the vehicle was attacked. She boarded the number 56 Newtownhamilton route at around 4.20pm and sat in the front seat opposite the driver.

At approximately 4.30pm, as the bus slowed at the junction of Friary Road and Lower Irish Street, a crowd of around 60 people began throwing stones and petrol bombs. One petrol bomb smashed through the front window and exploded in the aisle, while a second struck the same window where Ms Johnston was seated, engulfing her in flames.

She sustained severe burns and was taken to Armagh City Hospital, where she died on 28 March 1972.

ICRIR assistant commissioner Amanda Logan said Ms Johnston was deeply loved by her family and that her death remains devastating. The commission has urged anyone who witnessed the attack or has any information to come forward.

The assistant commissioner stated that the family has lived with unanswered questions for more than 50 years and that it is time they received the truth. She added that all information would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

The ICRIR noted that previous witness appeals in other investigations had yielded new information and expressed hope that the same would happen in this case.