Theresa Villiers granted HIgh Court injunction over circulation of secret Troubles’ papers

A SENIOR judge at the High Court in Belfast will later today rule on applications to overturn injunctions granted over the release of secret papers on three Troubles’ deaths.

The injunctions were granted on Saturday to Secretary of State Theresa Villiers and PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggot.

Ms Villiers and Mr Baggott obtained the High Court injunctions against Culture, Arts and Sport Minister Caral Ni Chuilin who is charge of the Public Records Office.

It blocked the minister from allowing families to see inquest documents relating to the killing of their loved ones.

The Secretary of State and the Chief Constable said the names of security members named in the documents should have been removed before they were distributed.

Ms Ni Chuilin delivered the case papers relating to the deaths of three people murdered in 1971 to a law firm and a victims’ group on Friday.

The Secretary of State has been accused of attacking the Good Friday Agreement and causing a constitutional crisis.

Solicitor Niall Murphy from Kevin Winters law firm said: “That an unelected Secretary of State feels she has a right to overrule a democratically-elected minister on a decision wherein the minister benefits from the advice of the Attorney General is a constitutional crisis and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement.”