Former IRA man granted Supreme Court case for Boston Tapes

by Gráinne Connolly

A former IRA member has been granted a Supreme Court hearing in an attempt to prevent the PSNI from obtaining secret recordings relating to his role during 'The Troubles'. 

Anthony McIntyre gave interviews as part of an oral history project 'The Boston Tapes'.

The project lasted between from 2001 until May 2006. 

Mr McIntyre was among dozens of ex- paramilitaries, both former members of the IRA and the UVF who gave testimonies to the project.

Access to the tapes was to be restricted until after each of the interviewee's death, except where they provided prior written authority for their use otherwise. 

Mr McIntyre's solicitor argues the PSNI should not be allowed access to the tapes due to a number of errors in an International Letter of Request (ILOR) issued in 2015. 

A Supreme Court is now expected to sit in early October 2019. 

In a statement Anthony McIntyre, one of the participants of the Boston college tape said today:

“These tapes were made solely for academic purposes.

"They were never intended to be used for criminal investigations.

"I welcome the fact that the Supreme Court will now hear this case given the important issues at hand”.

Gavin Booth of Phoenix Law, solicitor for Mr. McIntyre said: “We welcome the decision of the UK Supreme Court to allow us to be heard on the issues critical to Mr. McIntyre’s case.

"The Court is expected to sit in early October 2019”. We look forward to this hearing before the Supreme Court.

The PSNI have already secured transcripts given by former IRA woman Dolours Price who passed away in 2013, as well as top loyalist Winston Rea's.

Today, the tapes remain in secure storage in a Belfast court building.