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| Killer soldier to serve 25 years | Killer soldier to serve 25 years |
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| A soldier who was just 15-years-old when he shot and murdered a waiter in an Orkney restaurant in 1994 has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years. | A soldier who was just 15-years-old when he shot and murdered a waiter in an Orkney restaurant in 1994 has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years. |
| Sgt Michael Ross, 30, who became a Black Watch sniper, had denied shooting 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood in Kirkwall's Mumutaz restaurant. | Sgt Michael Ross, 30, who became a Black Watch sniper, had denied shooting 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood in Kirkwall's Mumutaz restaurant. |
| Ross, of Inverness, was found guilty of murder in June after a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. | Ross, of Inverness, was found guilty of murder in June after a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. |
| Lord Hardie said it was a "vicious, evil, unprovoked" assassination. | Lord Hardie said it was a "vicious, evil, unprovoked" assassination. |
| Mr Mahmood, born in Bangladesh, was shot in the head in full view of a room full of diners, including families with children, by a masked gunman in June, 1994. | Mr Mahmood, born in Bangladesh, was shot in the head in full view of a room full of diners, including families with children, by a masked gunman in June, 1994. |
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| Mr Mahmood's brother tells BBC Scotland's Tim Reid he believes Ross is 'evil'' | |
| The killing sparked one of Northern Constabulary's biggest investigations. | The killing sparked one of Northern Constabulary's biggest investigations. |
| During the trial, the Crown claimed Ross was a racist, and this was the motivation behind the crime. | During the trial, the Crown claimed Ross was a racist, and this was the motivation behind the crime. |
| Ross's father - police officer Eddie Ross who was called to the scene of the shooting - was later jailed for four years for trying to defeat the ends of justice. | Ross's father - police officer Eddie Ross who was called to the scene of the shooting - was later jailed for four years for trying to defeat the ends of justice. |
| The charge was that he withheld information from investigating officers over ammunition he found in his own home. It resembled the cartridge used to kill the waiter. | The charge was that he withheld information from investigating officers over ammunition he found in his own home. It resembled the cartridge used to kill the waiter. |
| Ross was later praised for his bravery while serving in Iraq. | |
| 'Cannot forgive' | 'Cannot forgive' |
| Shamsuddin's brother Abul Shafuddin said: "At last the killer has been brought to justice - it's a big consolation for us. At one stage we lost all hope that his killer would be found. | Shamsuddin's brother Abul Shafuddin said: "At last the killer has been brought to justice - it's a big consolation for us. At one stage we lost all hope that his killer would be found. |
| "We cannot forgive him. He owes and apology to the family which he has not tendered. He is not a reformed person. | "We cannot forgive him. He owes and apology to the family which he has not tendered. He is not a reformed person. |
| "There cannot be any other motive than racism. If somebody else was in my brother's place at that time - a black person - he might have killed him. Michael Ross is an evil person." | "There cannot be any other motive than racism. If somebody else was in my brother's place at that time - a black person - he might have killed him. Michael Ross is an evil person." |
| Orkney and Shetland MP Alastair Carmichael said: "This is something that has been hanging over Orkney as a community for many, many years. | Orkney and Shetland MP Alastair Carmichael said: "This is something that has been hanging over Orkney as a community for many, many years. |
| "By and large the community will be relieved that at long last they can draw a line under this everybody must be satisfied that there has been some sort of resolution." | "By and large the community will be relieved that at long last they can draw a line under this everybody must be satisfied that there has been some sort of resolution." |
| 'Senseless act' | 'Senseless act' |
| Northern Constabulary said in a statement: "Northern Constabulary welcomes the life sentence given to Michael Ross. This was a senseless and abhorrent act and the sentence reflects this. | Northern Constabulary said in a statement: "Northern Constabulary welcomes the life sentence given to Michael Ross. This was a senseless and abhorrent act and the sentence reflects this. |
| "The sentencing today finally brings a conclusion to a long and difficult period for the family of Shamsuddin and the community in Orkney. | "The sentencing today finally brings a conclusion to a long and difficult period for the family of Shamsuddin and the community in Orkney. |
| "Crimes such as this are extremely rare in Scotland and virtually unheard of in somewhere like Orkney. Levels of crime on the islands are extremely low and the detection rate for crime, which does exist is one of the highest in the UK." | "Crimes such as this are extremely rare in Scotland and virtually unheard of in somewhere like Orkney. Levels of crime on the islands are extremely low and the detection rate for crime, which does exist is one of the highest in the UK." |
| However, Ross's father Eddie Ross said: "No one in our family believed he was responsible for what he was accused of." | However, Ross's father Eddie Ross said: "No one in our family believed he was responsible for what he was accused of." |