British minister challenged on Cory Report

The British Government was challenged today to clarify what human considerations were holding up the release of reports on four controversial killings in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin’s equality and human rights spokeswoman Caitriona Ruane urged Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy to explain the British government’s position after retired Canadian judge Peter Cory contacted relatives of those killed this week to say he had recommended public inquiries.

Judge Cory was appointed by the British and Irish governments after the Weston Park talks in 2001 to examine the arguments for inquiries into the controversial murders of eight people.

He investigated:

:: Allegations of security force collusion in the shooting of solicitor Pat Finucane in his north Belfast home in February 1989 by the Ulster Freedom Fighters.

:: Claims of garda collusion in the IRA double murder of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan in March 1989 near Jonesborough in south Armagh as they returned from a meeting with security chiefs in the Irish Republic.

:: Collusion claims in the killing of judge Lord Maurice Gibson and his wife Lady Cecily in IRA landmine attack along the border at Killeen in April 1987.

:: Allegations that Royal Ulster Constabulary officers failed to intervene in the murder of Catholic father-of-two Robert Hamill by a loyalist mob in Portadown in May 1997.

:: The controversial circumstances surrounding the shooting of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright in a prison van by Irish National Liberation Army inmates in the high security Maze jail in December 1997.

:: The killing of solicitor Rosemary Nelson in a loyalist bomb attack on her car outside her Lurgan home in March 1999 amid allegations of police threats.

Judge Cory delivered reports on four of the cases to the British government last October and two to the Irish Government.

The Irish Government published before Christmas the two reports affecting them but ordered an inquiry into only one – the killing of the two RUC officers.

The Northern Ireland Office has yet to release its four reports and has been criticised by nationalist politicians.

A legal action was launched this week in the High Court in Belfast by the family of Pat Finucane to force the British government to publish after Judge Cory informed them of his decision.

However in response to concerns from Labour MP Kevin McNamara and nationalist SDLP MP Seamus Mallon about the delay, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy insisted the British government would release the reports once the legal and security implications had been fully examined.

Ms Ruane asked Mr Murphy today to “clarify which human rights considerations are being used by the British government to prevent the publication of Judge Cory’s reports.

“The British Secretary of State claimed in the British Parliament that one of the reasons for not publishing the Cory report was because of human rights considerations.

“Presumably he was referring to the continued cover up around those who perpetrated the killing of people as a result of collusion.

“The Secretary of State should be aware that those who colluded and killed have breached the right to life, the most fundamental of all rights and that no amount of excuses from him will justify the decision not to publish this report.”

The South Down Assembly member said the families of those killed and the international community would interpret Mr Murphy’s comments as “merely an excuse.”