Journalist wins secrecy battle about Real IRA source

A journalist won the right today to withhold information about the Real IRA from police after a judge ruled that her life would be in danger if she was forced to hand it over.

Suzanne Breen, northern editor of the Dublin-based Sunday Tribune, had been subject to a legal bid by Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Hugh Orde, who wanted information on the murders of two British soldiers in March.

Miss Breen received the Real IRA’s claim of responsibility for shooting dead Sappers Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London, and Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham, at the gates of Massereene Army Base in Antrim.

Belfast Recorder Tom Burgess acknowledged today that there was a great public interest in catching the killers but said the journalist’s right to life outweighs that.