British Govt Rule Out Finucane Inquiry

The British Government's decision not to approve an inquiry into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane has been greeted with varied reactions.

The Finucane family were said to be furious and disappointed yesterday when British Prime Minister, David Cameron said that he was only prepared to offer was a QC–led review of the case.

Geraldine Finucane, Pat's widow, said she felt "angry" and "insulted" while other members of the family added that they were "very disappointed" and would not support the initiative.

DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds has however welcomed the news saying that it was vital that certain murders were not elevated to a higher status than others.

Mr Dodds added: "The murder of Mr Finucane was an atrocious crime and everyone involved in carrying out the murder, or who were complicit in it deserve to be brought to justice.

"However, the vast majority of people across Northern Ireland will recognise that the idea of further costly, open-ended inquiries into these types of crime is simply not reasonable."

The Republic of Ireland Government has however pledged to support the family.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said if Geraldine Finucane was not happy with the outcome of her meeting with Mr Cameron, then the house would not be happy either.

The meeting between the Finucane family and Mr Cameron is said to have lasted only 30 minutes.

The Background

Mr Finucane, a Catholic solicitor, was shot dead by loyalists while eating his Sunday dinner in 1989.

His killing was one of the most controversial during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Finucane came to prominence due to successfully challenging the British Government over several important human rights cases in the 1980s.

Pat Finucane's best-known client was the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. He also represented other IRA and Irish National Liberation Army hunger strikers who died during the 1981 Maze prison protest, Brian Gillen and the widow of Gervaise McKerr, one of three men shot dead by the RUC in a so-called "shoot-to-kill" incident in 1982.

In 1988 he represented Pat McGeown who was charged in connection with the Corporals killings.

Mr Finucane was shot 14 times as he sat eating a meal at his Belfast home with his three children and wife, who was wounded in the attack.

His killing was widely suspected by human rights groups to have been perpetrated in collusion with officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and, in 2003, the British Government Steven's Report stated that the killing was indeed carried out with the collusion of police in Northern Ireland.

The Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UDA/UFF) claimed they killed the 39-year-old solicitor because he was a high-ranking officer in the IRA.

Police at his inquest said they had no evidence to support this claim. Finucane had represented republicans in many high profile cases, but he had also represented loyalists.

Several members of his family had republican links, but the family strongly denied Finucane was a member of the IRA

In September 2004 UDA member and security force informer, Ken Barrett, pleaded guilty to his murder. But he served only two years, released in May 2006, under the terms of The Good Friday Agreement.

Meanwhile a former judge was appointed to investigate the allegations of collusion surrounding Finucane's murder and other killings.

The retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory later suggested inquiries into Mr Finucane's death, as well as inquiries into the murders of Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill, solicitor Rosemary Nelson and Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright.

The three other inquiries have already been held.

(LB/BMcC)