Chicago Sun-Times July 3, 2003 Reporters ordered to give up tapes of IRA witness  Three Chicago newspaper reporters were ordered Wednesday to turn over to a federal court tapes of interviews with the key witness in the trial of an alleged terrorist now in progress in Ireland. U.S. District Judge Ronald A. Guzman rejected a claim that the reporters could refuse to turn over the tapes because they are privileged under an Illinois shield law that protects reporters and their sources. Guzman said that the importance of fairly investigating terrorism cases and providing the defendants with fair trials can often override such protections. ''It is clear ... that the reporter's privilege cannot override the need for effective and fair criminal investigations and trials in such situations,'' Guzman said. Attorneys for alleged terrorist leader Michael McKevitt, now on trial in Dublin, want the tapes in hopes they can be used to cast doubt on the testimony of prosecution witness David Rupert. McKevitt has been described as the leader of the Real IRA, a splinter group at odds with the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Rupert, who became involved in the IRA's fund-raising network in the Chicago area, is currently on the witness stand at the trial. Reporters Abdon M. Pallasch of the Chicago Sun-Times and Flynn McRoberts of the Chicago Tribune had signed a contract under which they would interview Rupert and then write a book about his life. McRoberts later dropped out of the plan and Robert C. Herguth of the Sun-Times took his place. Guzman ordered the three reporters to produce the tapes before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ian H. Levin at a hearing today. Pallasch's attorney, Kathleen Roach, reacted glumly to the order. ''We'll be filing a notice of appeal [today],'' she said  Wednesday. AP