A former British soldier could face jail after ignoring a court order to appear before the Saville Inquiry investigating the events of Bloody Sunday.
Soldier L, who has been served with a subpoena after threatening not to give evidence, was warned by Inquiry chairman Lord Saville of the consequences if he failed to turn up.
The former paratrooper was visited by his counsel last night who urged him to turn up at the Saville Inquiry in Central Hall, Westminster, London, this morning, but he failed to show.
The tribunal is now considering whether to take him to the High Court for being in contempt.
The tribunal is investigating the events of January 30th, 1972, when 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead by paratroopers during a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry.
Soldier L was due to give evidence based on his statement, which included telling colleagues he wanted to take Mr Martin McGuinness, then a leading IRA member, dead or alive.
In his statement he also claimed he saw another paratrooper known to the inquiry as Soldier H, opening fire on a body at point-blank range. He added that when soldiers lifted the body, it split in two.
He also claimed he saw two gunmen at the barricades near Rossville Flats and later witnessed former Bishop of Derry Edward Daly concealing two rifles inside his cassock. Soldier L's statement also claims he lifted parcels of plastic explosives from the rubble barricade in Rossville Street.