Cory Report 'out by end of month'

A report into four controversial murders in Northern Ireland is to be released by the end of the month, the British government confirmed today.

Northern Ireland Office officials said the families of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill and loyalist terror boss Billy Wright would receive copies of a report by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory into the killings 24 hours before it is released at the House of Commons.

The confirmation came after a Crown lawyer told Belfast High Court about plans to release the report at the end of March.

Last year Judge Cory, who was appointed by the British and Irish governments following the 2001 Weston Park talks to examine the case for inquiries into six controversial murders, handed over reports to London and Dublin.

The Irish Government released its report on two killings before Christmas and ordered an inquiry into one of the cases on alleged collusion between members of the Garda and the IRA in the double murder of senior Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen in 1989.

The failure of the British government to publish its report soon afterwards led to a High Court challenge from the Finucane, Wright and Nelson families.

Judge Cory’s report to the British government examined:

:: Allegations of security force collusion in the gunning down by the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters of Belfast lawyer, Pat Finucane in 1989.

:: Police actions during the brutal beating of Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill in the town in 1997.

:: Controversial circumstances surrounding the shooting of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright in the high-security Maze Prison by Irish National Liberation Army in December 1997.

:: Police threats against the Lurgan solicitor Rosemary Nelson who was blown up by a loyalist car bomb outside her home in March 1999.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy said the reason why the British government’s report had taken much longer to release was there were security and legal implications which needed to be taken into consideration.

Judge Cory has already informed the Wright, Finucane, Hamill and Nelson families he has recommended inquiries into each case.