Monday 8 June 2009

Backing for Suzanne Breen court fight

Journalists backing Sunday Tribune Northern Ireland editor Suzanne Breen (left) include John Pilger, Jonathan Dimbleby, Panorama’s John Ware, BBC Northern Ireland controller Peter Johnston, UTV managing director Michael Wilson, RTé presenters Miriam O’Callaghan and Mark Little, Channel 4 presenters Jon Snow and Alex Thomson, and Sky News managing editor Simon Cole.
The Sunday Tribune reports that they are among more than 5,000 people who have signed a petition supporting Breen's refusal to hand over source material.
In Belfast this Thurday the case in which the Police Service of Northern Ireland is applying for Breen to be forced to hand over source material linked to her reporting of claims by the Real IRA is due to be resumed.
John Pilger described the PSNI case as a “throwback to the bad old days in Northern Ireland” and said it “should never have been brought”. Breen’s stories were in the public interest and she shouldn’t betray her sources, he said.
Actor Stephen Rea, singer Christy Moore, and writer Roddy Doyle are among those also backing Breen.
The PSNI application under the Terrorism Act demands that Breen hands over phones, computers and notes. She faces up to five years in jail for not complying. Breen says to comply would put her life in danger an destroyher integrity as a journalist.

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