Witness requesting inquiry anonymity

The inquiry is looking into events in 1972

A civilian witness to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry has said he could be killed if he is not allowed to give his evidence anonymously.

It is understood the man, known only as Witness X, has been interviewed by the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Lord Saville of Newdigate is heading the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, which is examining the events of 30 January 1972.

Thirteen Catholic men were shot dead by British soldiers during a civil rights march in Londonderry that day. A 14th person died later.

Witnesses have been giving evidence to the hearing about what they saw that day.

The inquiry now has a document which refers to activities in and around Glenfada Park in the city where four people were killed and five people were wounded.

Fatal

Witness X is asking the inquiry if he can give his evidence anonymously and from behind a screen.

The inquiry has been sitting in public in Derry since March 2000.

About 250 military witnesses are to be called into the witness box at the multi-million pound inquiry, early next year.

Among them will be the paratroopers who fired the fatal shots.

Last year the Court of Appeal in London ruled that anonymity would be granted to 17 of the soldiers who had taken the action to protect their identities.

Families

In August, the inquiry team ruled that British soldiers must go to Derry to give their evidence.

Witnesses to the inquiry are immune from prosecution on issues arising from their evidence. It is aimed solely at establishing the facts about what happened.

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.

The new inquiry is expected to run for another two years.