The father of murdered loyalist leader Billy Wright has died aged 78.

Billy Wright’s father insisted today there was “firm and final” proof of state collusion in his son’s killing.

The official inquiry into the murder of Loyalist terrorist Billy Wright in the Maze Prison found that there was no “state collusion” in his killing, Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson said today.

The official inquiry into the murder of Loyalist prisoner Billy Wright in Maze Prison found there was no "state collusion'' in his killing, Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson has told the UK's House of Commons today.

Jail chiefs braced themselves today for a major report of a £30m (€367m) UK government investigation into the 1997 murder inside the Maze Prison of loyalist Billy Wright, one of the North's most feared assassins.

The findings of a public inquiry into the prison murder of loyalist Billy Wright in Northern Ireland is to be published in September.

The report into the murder of leading loyalist Billy Wright in jail will be handed over to a team of British government officials today.

There has been a furious reaction in the North following revelations that more than 250 people under threat from loyalists during the Troubles were never warned by the police that their lives were in danger.

Leading Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley Jnr said today that he is to appeal over a High Court decision ordering him to reveal a source which gave him evidence on the murder of a high-profile loyalist paramilitary.

Leading Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley Jnr threatened today to defy a High Court judge who ordered him to reveal a source that gave him evidence on the murder of a high-profile loyalist paramilitary.

Ian Paisley junior is being challenged in the High Court for refusing to give a public inquiry the name of a prison officer who told him about how documents were destroyed in the wake of the murder of a high-profile loyalist.

A loyalist ceasefire in the North is to be recognised, the Northern Secretary said today.

A loyalist ceasefire in North is to be recognised, the Northern Ireland Secretary said today.

A Catholic man stabbed 12 years ago in the North was the victim of a sectarian killing, an inquest heard today.

Bricks were hurled at a car during a suspected sectarian attack.

A public inquiry into the assassination of loyalist terror boss Billy “King Rat” Wright will finally begin oral hearings today.

Prison authorities in the North destroyed 52,382 files in the months before the Freedom of Information Act was introduced.

The inquest into the death of Sunday World journalist Martin O'Hagan is due to get underway in Armagh this morning.

I WISH to respond to the letter from Dr JE Hazlett-Lynch (Irish Examiner, November 20) concerning the DUP’s stance on the St Andrews Agreement.

Sinn Fein has accused the DUP of gross hypocrisy over its refusal to share power with republicans because of alleged ongoing IRA activity.

Police in the North have released three men arrested yesterday in connection with a loyalist murder in Belfast last July.

Loyalist paramilitaries have claimed responsibility for the attempted murder of a taxi driver in Belfast at the weekend.

THE father of loyalist leader Billy Wright has been given the go-ahead to proceed with a legal challenge to the terms of an inquiry into his son’s murder.

The family of murdered Belfast solicitor Patrick Finucane today held a first-ever meeting with Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley.

A court in the North has heard claims that a Co Derry solicitor tried to have a taxi driver who was injured in a shooting last year assassinated before he could speak to the police.

THE Ulster Defence Association was formally accused yesterday of gunning down one of its former brigadiers, Jim Gray.

The Ulster Defence Association was formally accused today of gunning down one of its former brigadiers, Jim Gray.

A man who was convicted of gun-running for the LVF in 1995 has been killed in what police are describing as a "frenzied attack" in Glasgow.

Two teenagers were stabbed to death after falling out with drinking partners in a row over a murdered loyalist paramilitary boss, a court heard today.

Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party is seeking talks with the head of an organisation which has loyalist paramilitaries among its members, it emerged today.

THE Government has welcomed indications that one of the main loyalist paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland is preparing to decommission.

A 25-year-old man has been charged with the murder of two teenagers as part of a loyalist feud in Co Armagh more than five years ago.

A man was tonight charged with the murder of two teenagers in the North five years ago.

A man was arrested today by detectives investigating the murder of two teenagers in the North five years ago.

The SDLP has slammed calls by a DUP press officer for the release of two loyalists convicted of carrying out a 1998 double-murder in Co Down.

LOYALIST terror groups were last night urged to follow the lead of the Loyalist Volunteer Force following its declaration that it was standing down its military units.

The Government has welcomed the LVF's decision to stand down militarily.

Loyalist paramilitary groups are being urged to follow the Loyalist Volunteer Force and order their military units to stand down.

Leaders of the Loyalist Volunteer Force have given orders that all the group’s military units are to stand down this morning.

THE leadership of the Loyalist Volunteer Force last night ordered all its military units to stand down.

The leadership of the Loyalist Volunteer Force tonight ordered all its military units to stand down.

The feud between rival loyalist paramilitary groups in the North, which has claimed the lives of five men, is finally over, according to a statement released today by the Loyalist Commission.

There is reason to hope a violent feud between loyalist paramilitary groups may be drawing close to an end, a senior unionist politician said today.

FLAGS have been taken down and murals painted over ahead of a loyalist paramilitary organisation’s anticipated disbandment.