By Joey Gardiner, 14 June 1999 18:46
NEWS Northern Ireland First Minister, David Trimble, today announced that he is suing Amazon UK for publishing a book carrying allegations that he was involved in political conspiracies to murder Catholics. The book, called 'The Committee: Political Assassinations in Northern Ireland' by Sean McPhilemy has not been previously published in the UK. Henry Hepworth, solicitors acting for Mr Trimble, said that they were taking action against Amazon because it was the only organisation to attempt to publish the book in the UK. The book's US publishers, Roberts Rheinhardt, would be covered by US law which requires the litigant to prove that material is produced maliciously, and not just that it is untrue. Hepworth also pointed out that Amazon UK was allowing readers of the book to comment on its content online - therefore repeating the libel. Jason McCue, partner in solicitors Henry Hepworth, said that the case could be instrumental in attacking the "mystique" of the Internet as being legally ungovernable. "Hopefully this will make people liven up and think before they do things on the Internet," he said, "Ecommerce companies have to treat these things seriously." Amazon UK refused to comment on the allegations.
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