The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, Day 324: The chairman of the Bloody Sunday inquiry yesterday refused to allow a barrister to make an application to the judicial hearing on behalf of Mr Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin.
Lord Saville of Newdigate told Mr Dermot Gleeson SC, a former attorney general, that the application should instead be submitted in writing to the inquiry's three judges.
Mr Gleeson's application related to the inquiry's ruling that a former IRA informer, known as "Infliction", would not be called to give evidence about the killings of 13 civilians in Derry's Bogside in January 1972, because to do so could endanger his life.
"Infliction", a former member of the Provisional IRA, has claimed in a submitted statement to the inquiry's three judges that Mr McGuinness fired the first shot on Bloody Sunday, precipitating the shootings of 26 unarmed civilians.
Mr McGuinness, who has admitted he was the Provisional IRA's second-in-command in Derry on Bloody Sunday, has dismissed "Infliction's" allegation as "fanciful".
Yesterday Mr Gleeson said Mr McGuinness had "a common law right to protect his good name and reputation". Over the next two weeks the inquiry is due to hear evidence from former and current security services agents.
Mr Gleeson told the three judges that because of their ruling in relation to "Infliction", his client, Mr McGuinness, had instructed him not to cross-examine the intelligence witnesses. However, Lord Saville said he was going to stop Mr Gleeson from continuing with his submission.
"If you want to make any submissions of that nature, I suggest you do one of two things - you either put them in writing to the tribunal or you wait until the end of the day when all interested parties will be given an opportunity to make what submissions they think is appropriate," he said.
Meanwhile, as Lord Saville gave his ruling, Mr McGuinness was telling reporters in Belfast that the way the inquiry was handling the evidence of intelligence agents was "a farce and a sham".
He said he had instructed his legal team not to cross-examine any of the security services agents giving evidence over the next fortnight.
"I am being denied the right to challenge unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations made about me . . . Unlike 'Infliction', I will be appearing in person before the tribunal when it returns to Derry," he added.
The hearing continues today.