Republican News · Thursday 14 February 2002

Bloody Sunday families challenge RUC anonymity

Madden & Finucane Solicitors, who represent the majority of the families of the deceased and wounded on Bloody Sunday, have lodged in the High Court in Belfast an application for Judicial Review of the Tribunal's decision to grant screening to the RUC witnesses due to give evidence before the Inquiry.

Solicitor Ciaran Shiels said: "Our clients are firmly of the view that this screening application for the RUC is a precursor for a similar application by the soldiers who have already been allowed to give their evidence anonymously in Britain.

"All of the identities of the RUC witnesses are known to the public and a number of them have conducted numerous television interviews in the past. Some have even made applications for screening only to inexplicably withdraw their applications recently. The RUC have had two years in order to make their application to the Tribunal and only last week have raised this issue. The responsibility for any delay in the Inquiry hearings as a result of this challenge must be placed clearly at the door of the RUC."