The Bloody Sunday inquiry was forced to adjourn today when lawyers representing the families of those killed took legal action to challenge a ruling that 20 police witnesses could give their evidence to the tribunal from behind screens.
In the High Court in Belfast they were granted leave to apply for a judicial review of the ruling made by inquiry chairman Lord Saville last week.
News that the High Court action had started was relayed to the inquiry in Derry together with an order from the High Court not to hear the evidence this afternoon of a police witness who had been due to speak from behind the screens.
Lord Saville said on hearing the news from counsel for the families: "What we will do is of course comply with the court's ruling. We will rise now."
He said he would decide how to proceed as soon as possible depending on the outcome of the High Court action.
He added: "I will in theory adjourn until 9.30 tomorrow morning, but we may have to change our plans."
Lord Saville agreed to a request last week from a group of serving and former police officers to give their evidence from behind screens because of fears of identification could endanger their lives.
Families of the 13 people shot dead on Bloody Sunday - January 30th, 1972 - challenged the ruling claiming it could be a precursor to similar applications from military witnesses who have already been given permission to have the inquiry transferred from Derry to England while they give evidence.
A number of British soldiers due to give evidence to the inquiry later in the year may also apply to give their evidence from behind screens, the inquiry heard.
After Lord Saville adjourned the hearing Mr Michael Mansfield QC, representing some of the families of the dead, asked for lawyers representing soldiers to state the position of their clients about screening as soon as possible to avoid further last-minute disruption to the hearings.
Three lawyers representing soldiers said they were in the process of clarifying the matter with their clients and indicated there was the possibility of a small number of applications for screening.
Lord Saville said he hoped the matter would be resolved one way or another before the inquiry had its mid-March break.
"We cannot afford continued delays of this kind," he said.
PA