Irisch Republikanische Solidarität








TC

JUDGE FINDS MURDER INVESTIGATIONS WERE INCOMPLETE




The Canadian judge investigating collusion between the
security forces and paramilitaries in Ireland has said he has
uncovered lines of inquiry that have not been followed by
detectives.

Delivering his report on allegations of RUC police collusion
in the murders of four people in the North, former chief
justice Peter Cory warned his findings must not be interfered
with.

He handed his report to British Secretary of State Paul Murphy
in London on the controversial killings of prominent defence
lawyers Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane; Portadown
father-of-two Robert Hamill; and loyalist paramilitary leader
Billy Wright.

Mr Cory also delivered his report on accusations that some IRA
attacks were carried out with the assistance of the Gardai
police in the 26 Counties.

Today he refused to discuss his recommendations but
cautioned against any British government changes to his
findings. "I would make a lot of noise," he warned.

The retired Canadian Supreme Court judge has spent the last 14
months investigating each of the cases after being appointed
by the authorities in London and Dublin.

He disclosed his work had uncovered previously unknown
details. He said: "I have seen things that because of the
routes followed are additional to some of the police
investigations."

Relatives of the victims have called for public inquiries into
the killings. Mr Cory said his report, which was agreed by the
Irish and British governments and political parties in 2001,
provided for public inquiries if needed.

Fears have been expressed that the governments will censor
information on the basis that some is relevant to ongoing
criminal investigations.

But human rights groups and activists have called for the full
and swift publication of the Cory report.

Human rights' groups Amnesty International, British Irish
Rights Watch, the Committee on the Administration of Justice
and Human Rights Watch, issued a statement saying there could
be "no excuse" for undue delays in publishing the reports.

"The NGOs (non-governmental organisations) understand that
insofar as possible Judge Cory has attempted to write the
re-ports in a way which does not compromise the safety of
individuals or national security," the statement said.

"Therefore, while the governments may have to examine the
reports to ensure that this is indeed the case, there should
be no reason for undue delay."

The organisations stressed that the families in each of the
cases had "already waited for years for the establishment of
public inquiries and their distress should not now be
compounded by further delay on the part of the two
governments".

Sinn Fein representative Conor Murphy said: "In the past
reports into collusion by Stalker, Sampson and Stevens have
been suppressed by the very British securocrats whose
activities they were supposed to be investigating. This cannot
be allowed to happen in Judge Cory's report.

"Already there is overwhelming evidence in a number of the
cases that Judge Cory has investigated that the British State
were directly involved in the murder of citizens through the
manipulation, control and direction of unionist death squads.
In line with the wishes of these families independent
inquiries should now take place without any further delay."

Letzte Änderung:
11-Oct-03