Finucane protest planned as inquiries stalled

The publication of two inquiries into collusion killings has been hit by further delays.

The reports into the deaths of Robert Hamill and Rosemary Nelson were due to be handed to the British government by the end of the year.

But British Secretary Owen Paterson said that the Hamill report is not expected until the end of February at the earliest, while the Nelson report is to be released at the end of April.

The Hamill and Nelson killings were two of four deaths recommended for inquiry by former judge Peter Cory.

The SDLP’s Dolores Kelly said the delay would cause dismay for the families and the local community.

She said: “Naturally, the families which have waited so many years will be disappointed at further delays. But that is not the only dimension.

“Delays in publication of the Saville Report were deliberately used as an excuse to attack the whole concept of independent inquiries into killings by or related to the security forces. When Saville was finally published, it was so devastating that it put a stop to this partisan sniping.”

An inquiry into the brutal slaying of Belfast defence lawyer Pat Finucane in front of his children in 1989 has not yet been established, with Mr Paterson supposed to make an announcement next year on whether a probe will go ahead.

Earlier this week, it was revealed for the first time in a cable published by the WikiLeaks organisation that MI5 held files related to the killing and was willing to provide them to an inquiry.

An Fhirinne (The Truth) spokesperson Robert McClenaghan has announced that there will be a protest on Monday 20th December at 11am outside Palace Barracks, Hollywood - the headquarters of MI5 in the six counties.

The protest is to press for the release of the MI5 files relating to the murder of human rights solicitor Pat Finucane and a member of the Finucane family will be in attendance.

Mr McClenaghan said: “Former Head of MI5 Eliza Manningham Buller is reported in the WikiLeaks revelations as having said she would be prepared to release files relating to the murder of Pat Finucane.

“Monday’s protest is being organised to put pressure on the British government to release the files immediately.

“No-one knew of the existence of these files until now.

“The family have spent over twenty years calling for a public inquiry to find the truth about his brutal murder. The release of these files could be the catalyst to revealing what actually happened on 12 February 1989.”

Urgent Appeal