Tribunal details leaked for McGuinness book - claim

A witness whose evidence contradicts British Secret Service material claiming that Mr Martin McGuinness may have fired "the first…

A witness whose evidence contradicts British Secret Service material claiming that Mr Martin McGuinness may have fired "the first shot" on Bloody Sunday has also alleged that information he gave to solicitors employed by the tribunal was used in a recent book on the Sinn Féin Minister.

During his testimony yesterday, Mr William Breslin said he had consulted the inquiry's solicitor about his belief that material he had discussed with representatives of the London legal firm, Eversheds, who assembled witness statements for the inquiry, had appeared in the book, From Guns to Government.

Mr Breslin said that "a number of things that I have not really told anyone else appeared in this book". He said the manner in which the authors, Liam Clarke and Kathy Johnson, referred to him in the book suggested that they had interviewed him.

When Mr Christopher Clarke QC, counsel to the tribunal, asked him if he was quite sure he had never been interviewed by either author, he replied: "I have never met either of them in my life, I have never spoken to them by telephone, in person or in any other way."

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After concluding his evidence, Mr Breslin told reporters he had written a letter of complaint to an Eversheds solicitor who was one of those who interviewed him for his inquiry statement. This man had vigorously denied that material was leaked, and had assured him unreservedly that the information had not come from Eversheds.

However, Mr Breslin said he had asked the inquiry's own solicitor to investigate the matter and, if necessary, to report it to the Law Society.

Last night a spokesperson for the Saville Inquiry said: "We have made inquiries with Eversheds. Eversheds have at no time released to the press, including Clarke and Johnson, any information concerning any witnesses, and that includes William Breslin."