An allegation in a book by a television producer that the Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr David Trimble, knowingly associated with people responsible for murder was based on claims made indirectly to him by a source, the London High Court was told yesterday. Mr Sean McPhilemy, who made a Channel 4 programme in October 1991 about alleged collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries, was being cross-examined over his inclusion of Mr Trimble's name in a book he wrote in 1998. He stated that Mr Trimble had set out to discredit him and that Mr Trimble had made a number of speeches in the House of Commons and Belfast and on the Right of Reply TV programme.
The programme alleged the existence of a committee of prominent Protestant businessmen, security force members and loyalist paramilitaries who conspired to murder Catholics and republicans. In the book, Mr McPhilemy gave names of people allegedly on the committee or associated with it.
Yesterday, under cross-examination by Mr Andrew Caldecott SC for the Sunday Times, which is being sued for libel by Mr McPhilemy, the producer said that allegations against Mr Trimble were made by Mr James Sands, who was the source for the programme. Mr McPhilemy said he did not hear it from Mr Sands but from Mr Martin O'Hagan, a Sunday World journalist who reported to him what Mr Sands had said.
Mr McPhilemy is suing following an article in May 1993 claiming the Channel 4 programme was a hoax. The newspaper is standing over the claim.