The British government has revealed that non-jury trials for terrorism suspects in Northern Ireland are expected to be abolished by next summer.
Non-jury Diplock Courts have been operating in Northern Ireland since 1973.
The Northern Ireland Office has announced plans to scrap the judge-only courts next July for those facing murder or explosives charges connected to paramilitaries.
Under the plan, which goes out to consultation today, only the most serious cases will be heard without a jury.
The consultation paper marks another step in the security normalisation process which began after the IRA announced an end to its armed campaign in July 2005.
