THE deputy director of a Glasgow University team set up to brief the world's media on the Lockerbie trial last night looked certain to be dismissed following allegations that he was a former MI6 spy.

As the controversy surrounding the alleged intelligence activities of Professor Andrew Fulton showed no sign of abating, insiders claimed that his position within the Lockerbie media briefing unit had become ''untenable''.

Sources also claimed that senior figures within the faculty of law had initially been angered by the appointment of Professor Fulton to the post last year, which they claimed had been made without consultation and in recognition of his ''promotion'' of the university abroad.

However, the director of the university's Lockerbie briefing unit, Professor John Grant, last night mounted a strong defence of its impartiality, and said claims that there had been any bias in Professor Fulton's media briefings were ''ridiculous''.

A report in the Sunday Herald claimed that Professor Fulton had previously been one of Britain's most powerful MI6 officers, and was at one stage involved in a plot to assassinate Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic. His last known posting with MI6 was as head of its station in Washington DC.

The development represented a major embarrassment for the university, which has touted the briefing unit as an independent source of information on the trial and Scots law surrounding the case.

Although there is no evidence to suggest Professor Fulton has unduly influenced reporting of the trial, the fact that he may have been in a position to do so can only undermine confidence in the impartial nature of the advice offered by the unit.

Professor Grant yesterday sought to allay such fears, and appeared angered by the furore the revelations had caused. ''I am disappointed that we have become the story when a major criminal trial is trying to determine who is responsible for the deaths of 270 people,'' he said.

''Our independence and impartiality are articles of faith with us. The news organisations throughout the world who have spoken to members of our team can bear testimony to our impartiality.

''Any prejudice to that independence and impartiality is, of course, of great concern to us. If there was even a suspicion that our impartiality had been prejudiced in any way, then (Professor Fulton) would have been dismissed a long time ago.''

Professor Grant said he had been unable to contact Professor Fulton, but he would be speaking to him about the allegations from Camp Zeist, where he would be covering the restart of the trial tomorrow.

Another senior source within the university told The Herald that Professor Fulton was ''now almost certainly history'', and added: ''They will, of course, be forced into dismissing him from the team. It cannot afford to allow the perception that its impartiality is in any way compromised.''

He claimed that Professor Fulton's knowledge of Scots law had been ''actually pretty limited'', and that his appointment as a visiting professor had been made more in recognition of his ''very active'' promotion of the university during his time in Washington.

The professor, who has never practiced law, was unavailable for comment last night.

During the first few weeks of the trial, the briefing team gained worldwide recognition for Glasgow University, and at least one American reporter requested syllabus details because he wanted to send his son there.