LVF leader's murder 'aided by prison policy'

The decision to house loyalist and republican prisoners in the same block was enough to suggest the prison authorities colluded in the murder of Billy Wright, the Cory Report said today.

The Canadian Judge said the Wright case hinged on whether the Northern Ireland Prison Service ignored the very dangerous situation which would arise by placing LVF and INLA inmates close together in H Block 6.

Wright, 37, was shot dead by an INLA gunman in the Maze Prison as he sat in a minibus waiting to be driven to the visiting area in December 1997.

Three members of the INLA were accused of his murder and given life sentences.

Recommending a public inquiry into his murder, Judge Cory said the prison authorities were aware Wright had been the target of a murder attempt in Maghaberry Prison by the INLA in the Spring of 1997.

“They therefore knew that they would be putting Billy Wright close to those who they knew had attempted to kill him and who they knew had expressed a continuing intention to kill him.”

Judge Cory added the authorities were also made aware by experienced prison officers of direct threats made by the INLA against Wright and may have been aware of intelligence gathered by the security forces of a plot to kill him.

“In light of that knowledge, a public inquiry might well conclude that prison authorities turned a blind eye to the very real and imminent dangers that they knew or should have known would arise from the transfer of Billy Wright and LVF prisoners to the same H Block occupied by INLA prisoners.

“In light of their knowledge, the transfer of Billy Wright could be found to be a wrongful act that was capable of constituting collusion.”

The report pointed to a number of other incidents surrounding the murder itself that gave rise to serious concerns.

These included the standing down of a guard in the observation tower overlooking A and B wings, where the INLA prisoners were held, before Wright was shot.

“A public inquiry might wish to explore whether or not the knowledge that the guard was in his tower and would not be moved from that observation tower might have affected the actions of the murderers.

“If the guard was instructed to stand down, that could be found to be a collusive act aimed at assisting the killers to shoot Billy Wright,” it stated.

There was also the fact that INLA prisoners were given a list of all the prisoners in H Block 6 who were receiving visitors that day.

“If this was simply an error, it was a grievous one which may have put Billy Wright’s life in jeopardy.

“If Prison Authorities turned a blind eye to the manner in which visitors lists were distributed then this could constitute collusion.”