A former Stormont MP and civil rights campaigner today denied being a "fantastic liar" who exaggerated the events of Bloody Sunday.
Mr Ivan Cooper, who was played by Ulster actor James Nesbitt in an award winning film about the events of January 1972, insisted he had never given an interview to a member of the Sunday Times Insight team.
The eight page transcript, supplied to the inquiry from the newspaper's archives, includes claims that Mr Martin McGuinness planned an attack on the British army but was forced to flee from a house when soldiers moved in.
A former friend of Mr Cooper, Mr George McEvoy, who according to the transcript was with Mr McGuinness at the time, has submitted a statement to the inquiry accusing Mr Cooper of being a fantasist.
The Sunday Times document, which journalist John Barry has testified was his notes of an interview with Mr Cooper, claims that Mr McEvoy dropped his pistol and was shot in the heel by the Paras as he tried to get away.
In a statement to the inquiry Mr McEvoy said: "Ivan Cooper is a fantastic liar. The sort of person that I have always wanted to and have tried to avoid. I would take everything he says with a pinch of salt."
Mr Cooper, in his second day in the witness box, was asked by counsel representing some of the soldiers, Mr Edmund Lawson QC, if he had a reputation for being prone to exaggeration.
The former Mid Derry MP said he did not believe this was the case: "I have not heard of it but in politics it is not unknown for politicians to be accused of lying."
Mr Lawson suggested that it was not unknown for politicians to exaggerate.
"Is that something do you think you fell into from time to time?"
The former Mid Derry MP replied: "In relation to Bloody Sunday. I did not."
The barrister then referred to a statement from a former SDLP colleague, Mr Hugh Logue, who referred to the allegations in the Sunday Times archives.
Mr Logue in his statement to the inquiry, said: "The allegations rang a bell with me. I believe that I was told a similar story shortly after Bloody Sunday, either by Ivan Cooper, or somebody within his immediate circle.
He added: "Ivan Cooper has something of a reputation for telling tall tales, I am sure I would have taken this story with a pinch of salt at the time."
Mr Cooper, who described Mr Logue as a "close friend", said he did tell him this story.
PA