'Blair won't publish killings report' - Adams

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams today claimed that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has “no intention” of publishing an anxiously awaited report on four of Ulster’s most controversial killings.

Retired Canadian judge Peter Cory has probed the killings of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, Portadown Catholic father of two Robert Hamill and LVF leader Billy Wright.

Judge Cory informed the families of all four murder victims that he had recommended inquiries into each of their cases.

However the British government has been criticised for failing to release the reports, especially after the Irish Government published reports written by the judge into two controversial killings relating to the Republic.

The British government has said it still has legal and security implications to take into consideration before it can publish Judge Cory’s findings.

But speaking at the House of Commons, where he was meeting the families of people murdered in Northern Ireland amid claims of security force collusion, Mr Adams said he doubted whether Mr Blair had any intention of releasing the report.

Mr Adams said: “He promised to both publicise and publish Judge Cory’s report and to follow through his recommendations. He has done neither of those things and, having talked with him recently, has no intention, in my view, of doing that.

“I don’t have any confidence whatsoever that Mr Blair is going to publish the Cory report. I think it says something about the grip which the securicrats continue to have within this government.”

Mr Adams said it was important that the government dealt with the collusion allegations.

“I have very, very publicly commended and acknowledge freely the very positive role that Tony Blair has played in this peace process.

“He broke the mould. But he has to do more. And part of that is to lift the lid on British dirty tricks in my country, and the direct involvement of British agencies.”

Up to 100 campaigners who believe British agencies plotted with loyalist terrorists to kill in Ulster also plan to protest at Conservative Party offices as well as MI5.

Victims’ representatives organised the demonstration to coincide with the start of new political talks in Belfast to break the deadlocked peace process.

Group spokesman Mark Sykes said: “The families are determined that the truth surrounding the murder of our loved ones will not continue to be suppressed by the culture of concealment which operates at the heart of the British government.”

Organisers travelled to London after staging a picket at Stormont, where all sides have gathered to begin a major review of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Adams told reporters: “We want to see acknowledgement of this because there is a deep hurt, a deep wound within the section of the community we represent.

“The families want truth, that’s what I want.”