The Bloody Sunday Inquiry is to be challenged after it emerged it is considering gathering intelligence reports on civilian witnesses testifying.
The suggestion of collating intelligence summaries on the 800-odd civilians giving statements and live evidence to the inquiry is in a letter sent on Wednesday by Mr John Tate, the solicitor to the inquiry, to lawyers representing the bereaved and injured.
In the letter, it was claimed the move to gather reports was being considered as one way of overcoming wranglings over an MI5 and Ministry of Defence bid to restrict classified material at the hearings.
Relatives of those killed and the injured would not comment on the proposal tonight.
But friends said they were aghast, believing it would give the intelligence services a free rein to "smear" key witnesses who had come forward at the families' urging.
One said: "It's disgusting. MI5, the RUC and the British Army could just make up anything about perfectly innocent people they don't like the look of.
At least one lawyer is advising future witnesses to stay away from the tribunal, chaired by Lord Saville.
A hearing into the issue, originally scheduled for May 23rd, has been brought forward to next Thursday.
But it is expected a witness will challenge the tribunal on the subject, citing Human Rights legislation, once the hearing resumes next Tuesday at Derry's Guildhall.
PA