Inquiry hears Paisley testimony

Ian Paisley appeared before the inquiry on Wednesday

Ian Paisley has finished giving evidence to the Bloody Sunday inquiry after he was warned he would be reported for contempt of court if he ignored an order to appear on Wednesday.

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland was due to attend the inquiry 24 hours earlier, but sent a legal representative instead.

Mr Paisley met his legal advisers late on Tuesday night to discuss what he should do.

He entered the witness box shortly before 1000 BST on Wednesday and accused the tribunal of political discrimination.

The North Antrim MP said the inquiry would not discover "anything new" and claimed it had become "a playground for conspiracy theorists".

Lord Saville warned MP could be held in contempt

The Saville Inquiry, sitting in Derry, is examining the events of 30 January 1972 when 13 civilians were shot dead by British army soldiers during a civil rights march in the city. A 14th person died later.

Mr Paisley was asked why a counter-demonstration by the Democratic Unionist Association was called off on the eve of the civil rights march.

He stated he was not involved in the planning of the demonstration and did not know why it was called off.

He said the tribunal should ask the party officer quoted in the press at the time, adding that this man had not been questioned or ordered to give evidence.

Counsel to the inquiry, Christopher Clarke QC, said every effort was being made to get a statement and evidence from the man and that he hoped he would attend the proceedings voluntarily.

The DUP leader said the tribunal had treated this person differently and that he was the victim of political discrimination.

Appeal ruling

Meanwhile, an appeal against a High Court ruling allowing 20 police officers to give evidence to the inquiry from behind screens has been dismissed in the Court of Appeal.

The three judges, sitting in Belfast on Wednesday, agreed with Mr Justice Kerr's judgement last February when he said the fears of former RUC officers "were not manufactured as they were based on two risk assessments".

British soldiers in Derry on Bloody Sunday

Lord Justice Nicholson said if the officers gave evidence in open court without screening, "the risk is that from that point in time a plan may be put into effect to target one or more of them".

The case was brought by Mary Doherty, a sister of Bloody Sunday victim Gerard Donaghy, who had sought a judicial review of the decision by Lord Saville to allow screening.

Although the police officers will be screened, their names will be made public and their evidence will be heard, transcribed and reported.

Events

Lord Saville of Newdigate and the commonwealth judges accompanying him on the Bloody Sunday inquiry began their work nearly four years ago.

They are not expected to report back until 2004.

The Bloody Sunday inquiry was established in 1998 by Prime Minister Tony Blair after a campaign by families of those killed and injured.

They felt that the Widgery Inquiry, held shortly after the shootings, did not find out the truth about what happened on Bloody Sunday.