A former member of the IRA due to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry was given permission today for his identity to be protected.
The witness, known as PIRA 7, is the first member of the IRA to apply not to have his name made public.
He has also applied successfully for an order not to be photographed when entering the Guildhall in Derry where the tribunal is taking place.
Inquiry chairman Lord Saville said the witness had provided confidential information to support his application but to make this public would be to defeat the purpose of granting him anonymity.
He said: "This is an unusual case. However, bearing in mind the nature of the evidence that the applicant is to give and the confidential information with which we have been provided, we are persuaded that our duty to protect his Article 2 rights requires us to order that he be granted anonymity."
PA