The revelation security files on witnesses atthe Bloody Sunday tribunal could be made available to the inquiryrepresents an attempt by British military insiders to suppress thetruth, according toMr Martin McGuinness.
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Mr McGuinness is in Dublin today with a Sinn Féin delegation fortalks about the peace process with the Taosieach MrAhern.
The Northern Ireland Education Minister, who disclosed last monththat he had been number two in the IRA in Derry at the time of BloodySunday in 1972, said a move at the inquiry to permit the presentation ofuncorroborated intelligence reports on civilians was "verysignificant".
He added: "It clearly suggests there is a very determined attempt byelements of the British establishment to effectively put the focus on the people of Derry.
"It is almost turning out to be a situation where the investigationthat is taking place is more about what the people of Derry weredoing than what the British soldiers were doing on that day when 14people were murdered.
"The people of Derry will be very concerned that there is aconspiracy afoot to prevent the truth coming out. These people arefighting like rats with their backs against the wall to prevent thetruth getting out at this tribunal," Mr McGuinness said.
He said the move represented a "real challenge" to inquiry chairman of the Inquiry, Lord Saville and to the British Government and the Prime Minister.
"I know for a fact that many people in the political establishmentare afraid of the power of the militarists and the securocrats. Thequestion is: Is Lord Saville going to triumph? Is Tony Blair goingto triumph? Or are the people whose names we do not know - those inpinstripe suits in the Ministry of Defence in London - going toprevent the truth coming out?"
Today's delegation in Dublin was headed by party leader Mr Gerry Adams; Health Minister Ms Bairbre de Brún andMr Gerry Kelly MLA.
PA