Americans back call for Finucane murder inquiry

An influential American body tonight backed calls for a public inquiry into the death of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane.

The National Committee on American Foreign Policy called on the British Government to set up a full judicial investigation into the 1989 murder of the Belfast lawyer after hearing from his widow, Geraldine, and his former legal partner, Peter Madden.

At a meeting in New York the committee’s chairman, Bill Flynn, said the murder raised issues of human rights violations which had to be put to rest for the peace process in Northern Ireland to succeed.

Leading Catholic solicitor Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist gunmen in front of his wife and three children at his home in Belfast in February 1989.

His death has been surrounded by claims that he died as a result of collusion between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries - claims which are the subject of an ongoing probe by a team headed by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens.

One man, William Stobie, a former UDA quartermaster who worked as a Special Branch agent, currently awaits trial on charges of aiding and abetting the murder but there are doubts that prosecution will go ahead.

Today Mr Flynn said: ‘‘This murder involved alleged collusion between the RUC and the British Army and loyalist paramilitaries, as well as other British institutions.

‘‘The National Committee on American Foreign Policy adds its voice to those calling for a public inquiry.’’

Mr Flynn said the group would be raising the profile of the issue with senior politicians in America and added: ‘‘It is important that the American public understand the connection between Pat Finucane and the Policing Bill and Decommissioning.’’

Mrs Finucane told the group the questions surrounding her husband’s murder needed answers.

‘‘Pat’s murder has become a very complex issue and has moved far beyond the death of the man himself,’’ she said.

‘‘This is an issue of grave public importance and must be dealt with accordingly.’’

And Mr Madden added that the issue had to be resolved for Northern Ireland to ‘‘draw a line under the past’’.

‘‘In order to learn from the past we need to know exactly what’s happened,’’ he said.

‘‘We need to know what went on behind the scenes.

‘‘We need to be sure that facts are not covered up to protect those who are trusted to uphold the law.’’