UN report recommends inquiry into Finucane killing

The family of murdered Belfast solicitor, Pat Finucane, has welcomed a UN recommendation that the British government initiate an immediate public inquiry into the shooting.

The UN report disagreed with the current British proposal to appoint a judge to assess whether such an inquiry is required.

The report has been drawn up by Dr Param Cumaraswamy, the rapporteur on the independence of lawyers and judges.

He expresses concern over the murder of William Stobie, a key witness in the murder of Patrick Finucane, who it says was probably killed to prevent him from assisting any inquiry.

The British government is proposing that an international judge be appointed to look into the Finucane murder to decide whether there should be a public inquiry.

However, the UN rapporteur says he fails to see any merit in this proposal as it would only result in further delays, expense and public anguish.

The rapporteur reiterates earlier calls for public judicial inquiries into the murders of both Patrick Finucane and Rosemary Nelson.