Allowing relatives of those killed Derry on Bloody Sunday to see police witnesses at the Saville Inquiry would increase the terrorist threat to those officers, the Northern Ireland Appeal Court heard today.
Mr Christopher Clarke QC, counsel to the Saville Inquiry, made the claim during the second day of a bid by the families to overturn a ruling that 20 police witnesses will be screened when they give their evidence.
The police witnesses, serving and retired officers, sought screening from all members of the public, expressing fears that being identified at the hearings in the Derry Guildhall would increase the terrorist threat to them.
Mr Clarke told three appeal court judges in Belfast that Lord Saville's tribunal had been entitled to find the officers had "genuine and real fears".
He rejected a suggestion made yesterday by counsel for the families of a middle way in which next of kin were allowed to see the witnesses but not the general public.
Mr Clarke said that apart from the logistical problems of finding space for the 127 next of kin to see the witnesses, it "does not avert the risk which gives rise to screening in the first place.
"The risk is that details of officers' identities may be leaked intentionally or unintentionally and used thereafter for terrorist purposes.
He said if the next of kin, or some of them, were to be permitted to see the police witnesses, a vetting procedure would be needed but that this could not prevent "inadvertent disclosure".
PA