Bloody Sunday families to challenge ruling

The decision to allow some police witnesses to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday inquiry from behind screens is being challenged.

Lawyers representing a number of the families of the 13 people shot dead are challenging the ruling made by tribunal chairman Lord Saville.

Barry MacDonald QC, says an application for a judicial review of the ruling is being lodged in the High Court in Belfast.

He applied for the adjournment of the hearing of any police witness due to give evidence from behind a screen, but Lord Saville says he is "not minded to adjourn its proceedings until directed by the court."

Lord Saville agreed to an application by lawyers acting for 20 past and present police officers to give their evidence in Derry's Guildhall screened from public view.

He accepted they had "reasonable and genuine fears for their safety".

He says their fears did not stem from the evidence they would give about Bloody Sunday, since their names were known already, but because full public evidence would afford dissident groups the opportunity to more closely identify them.