MI5 told July 7 blasts evidence must be given in public hearing

Lawyers for MI5 had argued that Lady Justice Hallett had powers to exclude bereaved families from the inquests to examine highly-sensitive documents.

But the coroner decided yesterday that she could not prevent the victims' relatives from listening to the secret evidence, pointing out that other steps could be taken to protect national security.

She said she would not allow the inquests to put lives at risk and added that the names of sources and other confidential information could be removed from the documents.

"I am still hopeful that with full co-operation on all sides, most if not all of the relevant material can and will be put before me in such a way that national security is not threatened," she said.

The coroner, who is sitting without a jury at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, also ruled that she had the power to consider covertly obtained material but could not rely upon it as evidence.

The MI5 intelligence is expected to be key evidence in the inquests, which have heard how four suicide bombers from Yorkshire blew themselves up on London's public transport network on July 7, 2005, killing 52 innocent people.

Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, Hassib Hussain, 18, all from Leeds, and Jermaine Lindsay, 19, who grew up in Huddersfield, carried out the attacks after travelling to the capital that morning.

The inquests will examine whether West Yorkshire Police, the Metropolitan Police and security services could have prevented the attacks, which took place on Tube trains at Aldgate, Edgware Road and Kings Cross and on a bus at Tavistock Square.

Relatives of the victims want to know why Khan and Tanweer were not followed after surveillance officers watched them meeting known terror suspects 17 months before the bombings.

The coroner referred to the cargo plane terror plot, which was foiled when explosives were found at East Midlands Airport on Friday, as an example of the pressures faced by the intelligence agencies.

"I am all too aware, given the events of the weekend, of the unenviable task facing the security services," she said.

"I repeat, sources' names may be withheld, redactions made. I do not intend to endanger the lives of anyone. I do not intend to allow questions which might do so."

Graham Foulkes, whose 22-year-old son David was killed in the Edgware Road bombing, said he was "delighted" by the decision as it would "make it more difficult" for MI5 to hide from scrutiny.

The inquests, which are expected to last five months, have begun with evidence about Tanweer's bomb, which killed seven innocent people when it detonated on a Circle Line train near Aldgate.

A paramedic who went to the scene, Alan Treacy, yesterday described going to help victims despite fears a second bomb could be on the train.

He told the hearing that he tried to help a young woman, now known to be Carrie Taylor, 24, who was "gravely ill" and "more or less wrapped around a handrail" by the blast.

Mr Treacy said he moved Miss Taylor from the pole and used a defibrillator to test her heart but he could not find a pulse.

Miss Taylor's father John thanked Mr Treacy for what he did.

Lady Justice Hallett told Mr Treacy she was sure it would be of the "greatest comfort" to Miss Taylor's parents that "you bravely risked your life to go and try and help their daughter and the other desperately injured people".