Members of the public and the press have been asked to leave the Smithwick Tribunal this morning as evidence is taken from former British army intelligence officer Ian Hurst, also known as Martin Ingram.
Counsel for the tribunal, Mary Laverty SC, told Judge Peter Smithwick the move to exclude the press and public was necessary because of the potential threat to “life and limb” to those who might be identified or exposed during Mr Hurst’s evidence.
A transcript of the evidence, which may be in part redacted, will be made public later.
The tribunal is inquiring into allegations that members of the Garda colluded with the IRA in the murder of two senior RUC officers in March 1989. The tribunal has previously been told senior RUC and intelligence officers had expressed concern about members of An Garda based in Dundalk.
Ms Laverty said Mr Hurst had a career with British Army intelligence from 1980 to 1991, three years of which were spent Force Research Unit.
She told Judge Peter Smithwick the Force Research Unit was a “core unit” in the British army involved in “the recruiting, developing and controlling of the army human intelligence assets”.
The unit was later renamed the Joint Services Group.
Mr Hurst has already made a statement to the tribunal based on information he acquired during the course of his work as an intelligence agent.
However, Ms Laverty said that in line with previous sensitive evidence where there was a danger to those who might be identified, - “a concern to either life or limb or indeed to State security” she wished to apply for an order to exclude members of the public.
Ms Laverty said she noted the presence of “a legal representative of the MOD [Ministry of Defence] in London”, Lt Colonel Paul Hockley, whom she said was there to assist Judge Smithwick in identifying matters which may be sensitive.
Judge Peter Smithwick said he proposed to grant the order to exclude members of the public – with the exception of Lt Colonel Hockley – whom he welcomed and whom he said would be of great assistance in assessing which parts of the transcript may need to be redacted, before publication.
However Judge Smithwick said the decision on what material would be redacted would be his and his alone. “I will make a decision on what redactions will be made to protect people’s lives.”
It was not revealed at the tribunal how long Mr Hurst’s evidence was expected to take.
