Former soldiers could be exposed to the "raging winds of those hell-bent on terror, chaos and death" if forced to give evidence to the Saville Inquiry in Derry, it was claimed today.
Barrister Gerald Elias QC told the tribunal that appeals for military witnesses to be left alone would not be enough to protect them from terrorist attack should they be called to testify in the city where 13 men were shot dead by British Paratroopers 29 years ago.
He made the claims on behalf of 24 ex-soldiers during a day of legal argument about whether the inquiry should move to Britain when the time comes for former British Army personnel to enter the witness box.
Mr Elias, along with other soldiers' lawyers and the Ministry of Defence barrister, was pressing for the hearings to sit outside Northern Ireland, claiming their clients' lives would be jeopardised otherwise.
He said: "The people who pose the threat are ... the small group of fanaticals who recognise no restraining hand, no voice of reason.
"They regard British soldiers as targets and, it would seem, we submit as a matter of commonsense in this part of the world, would regard Bloody Sunday soldiers as particularly attractive targets."
The Inquiry was adjourned until Wednesday.
PA