Families of the Bloody Sunday victims said yesterday they were bitterly disappointed but not surprised by the decision of the High Court in London. Their lawyers warned that the London courts were undermining the families' confidence in the inquiry.
Mr Liam Wray, whose brother Jim was shot dead by paratroopers on Bloody Sunday, told a press conference in Derry that he believed there was an ongoing attempt to intervene "to such an extent that Lord Saville cannot continue with the inquiry".
He said the families had consistently made it clear they wished no harm to come to anyone, civilian or military, giving evidence to the inquiry. Any hindrance to establishing the truth was coming from the British establishment and the soldiers themselves.
Mr Desmond Doherty, solicitor, said the families expected the tribunal to appeal the High Court decision, and they would support that appeal. Mr Greg McCartney, solicitor, however, said there would have to be a question mark over what confidence the families could have in such an appeal, as the courts in London continually undermined their confidence.
The lawyers insisted that the families would continue to pursue the inquiry to the end in a peaceful and dignified manner. Mr Wray said: "We are staying in this inquiry because we do not fear the truth."
He remarked that it was ironic that Queen Elizabeth had been able to come to Derry on Thursday "without let or hindrance, have a good day and go home again, with no protest and no one wanting to do her harm".
Mr Ciaran Shields, of Madden and Finucane solicitors, said in a statement that "the willingness of these [English] courts to interfere in the decision-making of this distinguished international tribunal is without parallel in modern history".
He also noted that the judgment came on the day after the royal visit to Derry. "Derry is thus regarded as safe enough for the British royal family to visit, but apparently not safe enough for former British soldiers to give evidence."
In a ruling on a previous judicial review application, the Court of Appeal in London last year reversed a decision by the Saville tribunal and held that soldier witnesses who were alleged to have fired rounds on Bloody Sunday were entitled to anonymity. Subsequently, the tribunal granted anonymity to all the soldier witnesses, except for senior officers whose names were already well known.
Between 200 and 400 soldiers or former soldiers are due to give oral evidence over six months or more, starting in the middle of next year.