According to news reports, the Court of Appeal in Belfast has stayed the government’s attempts to get a hold of the Winston “Winkie” Rae Belfast Project interview tapes.
At first, it semeed that the PSNI detectives, who were en route to Boston when the new order, entered, would have to return to Belfast empty-handed. Later, it seemed the detectives would be allowed to return to Northern Ireland with the tapes but that the tapes would be “deposited with the American Consulate and remain on American territory until we give a decision.” The American consulate, maybe unhappy with the solecism about American territory, apparently said it would not accept the tapes, because the latest reports indicate that the tapes will be kept under seal by the Belfast court.

I’ll continue to follow this. If anyone has access to transcripts or written submissions or orders from the Belfast courts and would like to share them, please let me know.