Allegations that a Northern Ireland murder committee discussed killing the solicitor, Mr Pat Finucane, and had British intelligence and RUC files about him, were examined in the London High Court yesterday.
The claims were made by a loyalist source, later identified as Mr James Sands, in a Channel 4 programme which alleged collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries.
The programme, broadcast in 1991, also alleged that there was a committee which included security force personnel and which conspired to murder Catholics and republicans.
The maker of the programme, Mr Sean McPhilemy, is suing the Sunday Times newspaper for libel following an article in May 1993, which alleged the programme was a hoax.
Yesterday, Mr Andrew Caldecott QC, for the newspaper, cross-examined Mr McPhilemy about Mr Sands's allegations relating to the murder of Mr Finucane on February 12th, 1989, and suggested there were inconsistencies in Mr Sand's accounts. Counsel suggested that in an audio-tape interview, Mr Sands said he was at the committee meeting when the murder of Mr Finucane was mentioned. He said there was no discussion and it went through "on the nod".
However, in the filmed interview afterwards, Mr Sands said the murder was discussed at the meeting.
Mr Sands also alleged it was stated at the meeting that photocopies of files about Mr Finucane had come into the possession of the loyalists. These files included a detailed 100-page British intelligence document.
Mr Caldecott asked why any reference Mr Sands made to British intelligence was edited out of the programme.
Mr McPhilemy replied that it was not his intention to mislead the viewer.
However, there were many refinements of the script and there was concern that it would be possible to identify Mr Sands and he "might be fingered" as the source.