MI5 to meet Saville tribunal

Thirteen civilians were killed on Bloody Sunday

MI5 representatives are to hold a private meeting with the Bloody Sunday tribunal in London on Friday.

The security service is concerned one of its agents, codenamed Infliction, will be inadvertently identified when MI5 handlers give evidence to the inquiry.

Infliction is said to have alleged Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness fired the first shot on Bloody Sunday.

The Saville Inquiry 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.

Martin McGuinness: Denied the claim

It is understood MI5 wants the hearing in which Infliction's handlers and former security service agent David Shayler give evidence to be in private.

The agency is also asking for the evidence to be given without lawyers for Martin McGuinness and the families of the victims being present.

Infliction is said to have been a former senior member of the IRA.

In April last year, a document from Infliction said Mr McGuinness, now the education minister in Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive, appeared to have it on his conscience that he had fired the shot which led to the civilians being killed.

The Sinn Fein MP firmly rejected the allegation.

'Terminated'

Former MI5 officer David Shayler cast doubt on the reliability of the information, saying the informer was "terminated" shortly afterwards when MI5 chiefs were made to "look stupid" having relied on faulty information he had supplied.

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.