Soldiers want inquiry to deal with collusion allegations

UNDERCOVER soldiers at the centre of the Pat Finucane murder investigation are prepared to face a public inquiry into the affair.

Former members of the Force Research Unit said they wanted to clear themselves of any allegations of collusion in the shooting by loyalists of the Belfast solicitor in February 1989.

The Government has indicated an inquiry will go ahead once the trial of a loyalist charged with killing Mr Finucane is over.

In a statement yesterday, a London-based legal team representing the soldiers said: “It is quite extraordinary that a decision has been made not to have the public inquiry, which the soldiers wanted, in order to avoid prejudicing a current trial and yet to put into the public domain material which must be highly prejudicial to that case.”

The Government released reports by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory into the controversial murders of Mr Finucane, human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson, Catholic father of two Robert Hamill and Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright.

Mr Finucane’s son, Michael, said the soldiers’ statement showed why a public inquiry was needed.

“Clearly, very worrying issues are raised in the report of Mr Justice Cory.

“These are obviously of concern not only to my family but to others, including soldiers on behalf of whom this statement has been made.

“The onus is now on the British Government and on Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, to say when are they prepared to have an inquiry.”

The North’s police chief warned that public inquiries into controversial murders risked undermining confidence in his force.

Chief Constable Hugh Orde said communities must not assume the cases reflected the current state of policing in the province.

But he warned: “Confidence in current policing is damaged by historic cases.”

He pledged his force would co-operate with the inquiries, but he said there were more than 1,800 other unsolved murders in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin said serious question marks remain as to why the British Government should be allowed to take the lead role in any search for the truth about violence in the North.

Assembly member Philip McGuigan said any consultation around a truth process needed to be independent and international.