A television producer told the London High Court yesterday he would not be as categoric now about an allegation made in his book in 1998 that Mr David Trimble knowingly associated with people alleged to be on a loyalist murder committee.
Mr Sean McPhilemy, who wrote the book, The Committee, in 1998, said he could not now say with accuracy that Mr Trimble did know. His reflection on the status of the evidence had changed.
The book followed a programme in October 1991 made by Mr McPhilemy for Channel 4. It alleged the existence of a murder conspiracy against Catholics and republicans. Mr McPhilemy is suing the Sunday Times for libel following an article in May 1993 which said the programme was a hoax.
Yesterday he was cross-examined by Mr Andrew Caldecott QC, for the newspaper, about the allegations against Mr Trimble which were only published in the book. Mr McPhilemy said the journalist Mr Martin O'Hagan wrote to him that Mr Jim Sands, the programme's main source, told him Mr Trimble had a meeting in 1992 with some of the alleged members of the committee.
He believed Mr Sands had trusted Mr O'Hagan. Mr Caldecott quoted from the book: "I conclude therefore that David Trimble MP was knowingly associating with and assisting those responsible for the murder of his own constituents, victims of the committee".
Counsel put it to him: "You actually don't know if Mr Trimble had any guilty knowledge at all." Mr McPhilemy agreed he knew nothing about conversations at the meeting.
Mr Justice Eady asked if he was saying he could not stand over what he wrote. Mr McPhilemy said he had believed Mr Trimble had the meeting with alleged members of the committee.
"I inferred from that fact that he [Trimble] must have known, but I can't say with accuracy he did know," Mr McPhilemy stated. Mr Justice Eady asked: "What's changed?" Mr McPhilemy replied: "My reflection on the status of evidence has changed. But I remain confident of the truth of the allegations about the committee in the programme and the book."