Witnesses moved in Shoukri case

Leading loyalist Andre Shoukri was applying for bail

Two witnesses due to testify against a leading loyalist have had to be re-located after their addresses became known, the High Court has been told.

A lawyer for Andre Shoukri, 29, said in court on Tuesday that their whereabouts were revealed after they phoned home.

But the prosecution claimed a friend "felt he had to disclose the address" after receiving a visit from a person asking about where they were living.

Bail, on blackmail, intimidation and money laundering charges was refused.

Mr Shoukri, from north Belfast, has been in custody since last November. A prosecution lawyer told the hearing that a new witness - known as C - who only came forward two weeks ago was still living in Northern Ireland and arrangements were being made to set up special protection.

'Grave concerns'

Opposing bail, the lawyer said: "We have grave concerns about interference with witnesses, particularly witness C.

"The accommodation of witnesses A and B has been compromised once already and it is possible they could be discovered again."

A defence lawyer said witnesses A and B had compromised their own position and it seemed "a most peculiar distortion" for that to be presented as a reason for opposing bail.

"The mechanism chosen to deal with this case, far from inspiring confidence, gives rise to the not unreasonable fear and concern that delay is now an inevitable part of the Crown preparation," he said.

However, the prosecution lawyer said police files in the blackmail and intimidation investigations had been submitted to the Public Prosecution Service at the start of May and the money laundering investigation would be completed at the end of this month.

The judge said progress had been made.

But he added that the money laundering investigation should not be used as an excuse for delay in proceeding with the other charges.