An allegation that Northern Ireland's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, was assisting people responsible for murdering his constituents was read out from a book published in the US in the High Court in London yesterday. The court was told Mr Trimble would be a witness for the Sunday Times, which is being sued for libel by Mr Sean McPhilemy, who made a programme for Channel 4 on Northern Ireland and wrote the book.
Mr Andrew Caldecott QC, for the newspaper, read what he described as an appalling charge against Mr Trimble.
The Sunday Times, in an article in May 1993, described Mr McPhilemy's programme, broadcast in 1991, as a hoax. He claims the article ruined his career and livelihood. The newspaper denies the claims and pleads justification.
The programme alleged collusion between the security forces in Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitaries. It claimed there was a committee of unofficial representatives of the security forces, businessmen, bankers, solicitors, city councillors and loyalist paramilitaries that conspired to kill IRA suspects.
The main witness in the programme making the allegations was Mr James Sands, described as a loyalist fanatic, who at the time was unidentified.
Mr Caldecott made the defence case that the programme presented lies. He said the book, The Committee, was published in 1998 in the US, where there was strong Irish republican support.
The peace process was well under way in May 1998 and Mr Trimble had "put in some work, you may think, for peace", Mr Caldecott said.
He then read from the book: "I (Mr McPhilemy) conclude, therefore, that David Trimble MP was knowingly associating with and assisting those responsible for the murder of his own constituents, victims of the committee such as the three innocent Catholic teenagers - Denis Carville, Eileen Duffy, Katrina Rennie and the 29-year-old customer shot dead as he approached the mobile sweet shop in Craigavon, Brian Frizzell.
"None of these victims were members of Trimble's `Ulster British nation' but all four of them, like many other Catholics killed in his constituency, were murdered by his friends on the committee within just one year of his entry to the House of Commons in May 1990.
"So, . . . Mr Trimble is, in my judgment, as culpable for the terrorist acts of Abernathy's Committee as the leader of the political wing of the IRA for that organisation's crimes."
Mr Caldecott said Mr McPhilemy made a challenge in the book which was relevant.
Mr Caldecott read: "It (the opportunity to put Mr Trimble in the witness box) may not, however, have disappeared altogether because it is possible that, following the publication of this book, all issues relevant to the committee's murder conspiracy will surface during my libel action against the Sunday Times . . ."
Mr Trimble "would also be given the opportunity to respond to my belief that, in recognition of his efforts to protect the murder conspirators, it is appropriate to enhance his standing as a prominent member of the Orange Order by awarding him the title of leader of the political wing of the Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee", Mr Caldecott read.
The case continues.