Finucane's widow accuses governments of delaying truth

The widow of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has described the Irish and British governments’ attempt to investigate the killing as a deliberate tactic to delay the emergence of the truth.

The two governments have appointed a retired Canadian judge to examine the case and decide if there is enough evidence to warrant a public inquiry.

Geraldine Finucane has been seeking such an inquiry for years and she said last night’s BBC documentary revealing official collusion in the murder has made her more determined to uncover the truth.

The Panorama programme revealed that the RUC had urged loyalist paramilitaries to kill Mr Finucane, while British military intelligence provided targeting information through its UDA double-agent, Brian Nelson.

Pat Finucane was shot dead in front of his family in 1989 because he had represented members of the Provisional IRA, including hunger-striker Bobby Sands.

There have long been allegations of official collusion in the killing, but nobody has ever been convicted in connection with the case.

Last night’s BBC documentary claimed that the secretive Force Research Unit, a part of the British army, had helped the UDA to compile targeting information on scores of republican suspects, including Mr Finucane, who had no connections with the IRA.

The RUC had told loyalist paramilitaries that the solicitor was in the IRA, accusations that made him a prime target for murder.

It is unclear if the soldiers and policemen involved were acting on orders, but Geraldine Finucane said it is difficult to think of anything more serious than to accuse a government of murdering its own citizens as a matter of policy.