No to secret source-grabbing!

THE POLICE Service of Northern Ireland wants Suzanne Breen, Northern Ireland editor of the Dublin-based Sunday Tribune, to hand over her mobile phone, records, notes and other material in a bid to identify her confidential sources for stories about claims by the "Real IRA".

To make matters more serious still, in proceedings in Belfast Recorders' Court on 14 May the PSNI said that evidence presented last week in its court case against may never be given to her or her legal team.

There will be a meeting for NUJ members to organise support for Suzanne on Tuesday 26 May at the Union's HQ, Headland House, at 6.30pm.

There's another meeting in Dublin on Thursday 28 May - contact the Irish office.

And sign the petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectsources now!

Motion of support

The NUJ Photographers' conference on 18 May passed the following motion:

The police service of Northern Ireland is seeking a court order forcing Suzanne Breen, northern Ireland and other of the Dublin-based Sunday Tribune, to hand over a mobile phone, records, notes and other material arising from her reporting claims made by the real IRA.

Anti-terrorist legislation is being used to allow the PSNI to justify the application in secret. Suzanne Breen, her newspaper, her union and the public may never know the basis for the order.

This Photography Matters Conference backs the NUJ campaign in support of Suzanne Breen, also calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to respect press freedom and the fundamental journalistic right to protect sources.