I appreciate your saying that you're not particularly political, Tinks, but that's really the only way to understand this. One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist. Nelson Mandela was a terrorist...
Bloody Sunday started with a peaceful civil rights march. The British Government ordered a unit from 2nd Parachute Reg into the city days before it was to start. This unit had already shot dead 10 people, including a priest, in Belfast.
When a riot started after the march the Paras did open fire and some of them did shoot whoever they felt like.
Just a point tink, these men were treated as criminals because from the view point of many people they were criminals, any soldier who went round planting bombs in public places targeting women and children, civilians all, would be tried for war crimes. In the eye of a lot of people Bobby Sands and company weren't soldiers they were murderers., but as has already been stated it's a very complicated and emotional subject.
I am not disagreeing with the fact that the soldiers shot unarmed civilians, but I think to say they just shot who they liked is a great over-simplification of the situation.
Tinks, I wish you all success in your research, and I hope that it will show you that nothing exists in isolation and that history and politics are inextricably linked.
The Irish troubles (for want of a better word, but that's how this period of history is known) is fascinating, and if your study of it leads you to an even deeper hatred of Margaret Thatcher, then I couldn't be happier!
As mark says tink you can't just read a couple of books and understand literally hundreds of years of conflict. People have spent years studying the history of "The Troubles" and they still don't really understand it.