Report 'obstructed', says Stevens

James Stevens' report into collusion between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in the North faced obstruction and lack of cooperation in some quarters, Mr Stevens said today.

"As we went through the inquiry, we had to develop our own intelligence and operate on our own," he said.

He added that the full report could not be issued at this point because there are further possible criminal charges and prosecutions to come.

Elements in the security forces were involved in a deadly plot with loyalist paramilitaries to carry out a series of sectarian murders in Northern Ireland, the devastating new report confirmed today.

Following a 14-year inquiry into allegations of widespread collusion between Special Branch, Army officers and Protestant terrorists, Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Stevens concluded there was damning proof of the use of agents in assassinations and the withholding evidence.

Mr Stevens, whose inquiries centred on the shooting of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by the Ulster Defence Association in February 1989, said that that killing and the death of Protestant student Brian Adam Lambert in November 1987 could have been prevented.

In a 20-page summary of his report, the Met chief also made 21 recommendations in a bid to safeguard future intelligence operations.

These include a call for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to carry out a full review of all procedures for investigating terrorist offences.

In his report he said: “My inquiries have highlighted collusion, the wilful failure to keep records, the absence of accountability, the withholding of intelligence and evidence, and the extreme of agents being involved in murder.

“These serious acts and omissions have meant that people have been killed or seriously injured.”

Mr Stevens also set out how his investigation – the third since he was first brought in to examine collusion claims in 1989 – have been obstructed.

He added: “I have uncovered enough evidence to lead me to believe that the murders of Patrick Finucane and Brian Adam Lambert could have been prevented.

“I also believe that the RUC investigation of Patrick Finucane’s murder should have resulted in the early arrest and detection of his killers.”