The widow of a man shot dead on Bloody Sunday walked out of the Saville Inquiry today in protest at measures put in place to protect the identity of a witness.
Mrs Eileen Doherty, whose husband Paddy was shot by British soldiers, claimed the inquiry had descended into farce as a senior army witness gave his evidence via video-link from an undisclosed foreign country.
The former head of intelligence in Northern Ireland appeared at Methodist Central Hall in London on a monitor which was screened from the public gallery and the families of the deceased and injured.
The 84-year-old retired officer, known only as "David", gave his evidence from a secret location accompanied by a serving security service agent, his son and an inquiry solicitor.
Mrs Doherty said the inquiry "was supposed to be open and transparent but had descended into farce".
She said she would not return until after the retired officer had completed giving his evidence.
"David" denied he was reluctant to co-operate with the inquiry despite his refusal to travel to London to give his evidence.
He told Barry MacDonald QC, counsel for many of the families of the dead and injured, that he travelled to London in the last few months for the purpose of preparing his statement to the inquiry, but could not remember precisely when he took this trip.
Mr MacDonald asked: "If you were prepared to travel to London for that purpose, or for some other purpose within the last few months, why were you not willing to come to London again to appear in person before this Tribunal?"
"David" replied: "Well, I told you that the experience of going to London had a lasting effect. I am now 84-years-old, I have a very dodgy short-term memory and it takes a while for me to recover."
"David" also said he did not remember seeing any specific intelligence which suggested the IRA planned to attack the security forces on Bloody Sunday.
However, he said it was commonplace at the time for republican paramilitaries to join demonstrations to cause problems for the police and army. "David" was Director of Intelligence for Northern Ireland on January 30th, 1972 when 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead by British soldiers in Derry. A 14th man died later.
The Saville Inquiry, which usually sits at the Guildhall in Derry, is currently hearing the evidence from military witnesses and others in London because of concerns for their safety.
PA