A former soldier facing contempt of court for refusing to appear before the Bloody Sunday inquiry is to apply for screening from the public.
Soldier L, who failed to turn up yesterday to give evidence to the Saville Inquiry at Central Hall, Westminster, told his lawyers that despite being fearful he was now prepared to co-operate as long as he was screened.
The tribunal yesterday set in motion proceedings in the High Court, which could ultimately lead to the soldier being jailed.
His counsel told the inquiry that the legal team had been in contact with Soldier L on a number of occasions in the past 24 hours.
Tribunal chairman Lord Saville pointed out the application was very late but gave his lawyers permission to go ahead. Lord Saville told the barrister that if the tribunal refused the application, steps would be taken to ensure that the soldier was brought to and from the hearing without being photographed.
He added that in view of the soldier's failure to turn up yesterday, his application for screening must be made today.
Soldier L, who fired a number of shots on Bloody Sunday, was due to give controversial evidence including claims that the former Bishop of Derry Edward Daly, then a parish priest, concealed two rifles under his cassock.
The tribunal is investigating the events of January 30, 1972 when a total of 13 of unarmed civilians were shot dead by paratroopers during a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry.
In his statement to the inquiry the soldier added it was his intention to get Mr Martin McGuinness "dead or alive".Mr McGuinness, who at the time of Bloody Sunday was a senior IRA figure in the city, is now a Sinn Féin MP and the party's chief negotiator.