local lawyer telephoned an inmate and revealed he would be testifying against an alleged drug dealer.

And he claimed threats on the life of a fellow American inmate -- who is "a "key witness in a murder back home (New Jersey)'' -- had been so serious that the man is being kept in protective custody at Casemates Prison.

Antonio Miranda, testifying against alleged drug smuggler Larry Ebbin, told Supreme Court there had a been a plan to poison the food of drugs prisoner Paul Seney.

The allegation brought an angry objection from Ebbin's lawyer Mr. Archie Warner, who claimed Miranda's evidence was "hearsay''.

But Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs. Justice Wade allowed Crown counsel Mr. Diarmuid Doorly to continue his re-examination of Miranda.

Mr. Doorly asked Miranda why he had told Mr. Warner during cross examination that he made up stories to keep the fact he was planning to testify against Ebbin from inmates.

"For my own protection,'' Miranda replied. "(Dexter) Dillas and others involved in the conspiracy have ways of getting to you at Casemates -- and threats have been made on my life already with regard to this matter.'' Mr. Doorly asked the witness how he felt about giving testimony against Ebbin.

He said that in the days before the trial, when it was not known he was going to testify against Ebbin, several threats had been made on his life. But he became really scared when inmates found out he was going to give evidence, he said.

"An attorney called Mr. Dillas and told him I was going to testify against Ebbin,'' Miranda said. "Mr. Dillas told me I would regret what I was about to do.'' Miranda told jurors that when he returned to Casemates after the first day of Ebbin's trial, he found "supergrass'' scribbled on his cell door.

And just Wednesday night, Miranda said he was involved in a brawl with inmates during which he was called several names. But the fight was broken up by prison guards before he was harmed.

"I feel my life is in great jeopardy at Casemates,'' he said grimly. Earlier on while cross-examining the witness, Mr. Warner suggested he had lied about Ebbin and Dillas travelling to Boston and the Bahamas in early May of 1990 to meet with the head of the Cuban drug empire, Marcus Cojab. He submitted his client had never met Cojab, nor had any conversation with him about importing drugs to Bermuda.

But Miranda insisted the three had met to "straighten out certain things''.

He knew about the meetings because Cojab had told him. While in the Bahamas, Miranda said Cojab showed him his private yacht and they went to casinos, "partied and socialised''.

Mr. Warner further put it to Miranda that nothing in his notebooks -- found by Police in the trash can of his old apartment in Paget -- showed he had dealt with Ebbin.

Miranda has testified "fels'' was his "nickname'' for Ebbin and Dillas, "sml'' referred to Ebbin and Smith, "col'' stood for Coleman and "ant'' for Anthony Stoneham.

His list of regular customers grew with the inclusion of "T'', he said, which stood for Ted Ming. He claimed the local entertainer was driven to get involved in the sale of drugs by "greed''.

But Mr. Warner charged "sml'' was another of Miranda's customers, whom he had "conveniently'' attributed to Ebbin and Colin Smith.

Jurors also heard yesterday how Police finally caught up with Miranda in May, 1990 after a raid on his Smith's Parish apartment during which 13 ounces of cocaine and $89,000 cash was found.

Det. Con.

Brian Rollin told how he followed Miranda around on a private motorcycle in the days before his arrest.

Miranda has testified that 11 kilos of cocaine to several local dealers in six months. He claims he distributed half that amount to Ebbin.

Ebbin has denied importing cocaine between May 11 and May 20 of 1990 and conspiring to import the drug between October 1988 and May 17, 1990.