Finucanes Demand Answers.

By Brendan Anderson.

THE distressed family of murdered human rights lawyer Pat Finucane had demanded to be informed about the full contents of a leaked report into his killing.

Finucane was gunned down in his family home in 1989 by the Ulster Freedom Fighters operating in collusion with British undercover agents. 

The killing is one of several controversial cases investigated by Canadian judge Peter Cory who was asked to decide which murders should be subjected to a full independent inquiry.

Cory’s report on four of the murders, all involving collusion allegations, has been sent to the British government while a further report on two other killings – carried out in the Republic – was given to the Irish government.

The Finucane family were angered Monday when elements of his reports were leaked to print and broadcasting media before relatives had been informed. Both the Irish and British governments had promised to permit families sight of the reports before publication.

Media reports claimed Judge Cory had recommended that the British government initiate inquiries into the murders of Finucane, another human rights lawyer, Rosemary Nelson, dissident Loyalist extremist Billy Wright and County Armagh Catholic Robert Hamill.

The Irish government, it is claimed, was asked to inquire into the murder of senior RUC officer Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen. The British government is said to be “considering the legal and security implications” of publishing the judge’s findings. 

Lawyers for the Finucane family have asked Northern Secretary Paul Murphy to explain why Judge Cory’s report has not been made public. Belfast-based law firm Madden and Finucane have asked Murphy to say when he will inform the family of Cory’s findings and recommendation.

A spokesman for Madden and Finucane – the firm was co-founded by Pat Finucane – said that “anything less than a full judicial inquiry” in his murder would not be acceptable.