Attempts underway to censor Cory report

The Canadian judge appointed to look into a number of high-profile assassinations in which there were widespread allegations of British Crown force collusion has recommended four inquiries.

Peter Cory is believed to have advised holding inquiries into the murders of Robert Hamill, Pat Finucane, Billy Wright and Rosemary Nelson.

The British government was reported to be considering the legal and security implications of publishing the judge's report.

The Irish government has received reports on two murders in the 26 Counties and it is believed Mr Cory has requested one inquiry into the matter.

The two governments have agreed to be bound by the judge's recommendations.

The families of the victims have complained that Cory's involvement has only delayed what they view as the inevitable calling of independent inquiries.

Publication of Judge Peter Cory's highly embarrassing report, originally scheduled for Monday, has been delayed because the British authorities have sought significant removals from several sections.

Judge Cory has had access to a vast amount of material, including intelligence files and the full unpublished report into collusion by the London police chief John Stevens.

His report is said to have taken an even tougher line than the Stevens team, which concluded collusion cost innocent lives and that his team of detectives had been obstructed by the police and British Army in the North.

One passage of Judge Cory's report is said to disclose that a pistol which the former RUC Special Branch supplied to a member of the the unionist paramilitary UDA was later used in a series of atrocities, including the 1992 massacre of five Catholics at a bookmakers.

It is understood that Cory has been angered by the British demand to edit his report. He is said to have made it clear to both governments that he would write his report in such a way that he did not expect to have to make significant changes.

The difficulties are understood to have arisen following intervention from the British Attorney General Sir Peter Goldsmith QC.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Conor Murphy said that the British government should now move speedily to establish independent judicial inquiries into the killings investigated.

``Today the Cory report has been delivered to the British government,'' Mr Murphy said. ``The last obstacle put in the place of these families search for the truth has been removed.

``These families should not have had to go through this process in the first place. The validity of their cases is well known. The British government have stalled their search for the truth for long enough.

``Sinn Féin will continue to support these families in their pursuit of the truth into the death of their loved ones and we once again call upon the British government to speedily establish the independent judicial inquires which they know are required.''

Urgent Appeal