Pat Finucane fallout: Call for ‘no exemptions’ in any collusion probes

Any further investigations into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane should “not be a one-way street” examining only the actions of the state, Jim Allister has said.
By Mark Rainey
Published 1st Dec 2020, 18:32 BST
Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane who was shot dead by UDA gunmen in front of his wife and children in 1989Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane who was shot dead by UDA gunmen in front of his wife and children in 1989
Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane who was shot dead by UDA gunmen in front of his wife and children in 1989

In response to Monday’s announcement by NI Secretary Brandon Lewis – that there will be no public inquiry at this point – the TUV leader said there should be no exemptions in the search for the truth about terrorist crimes.

“We need to talk about all the collusion,” he said.

Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Allister said:“The murder of Pat Finucane was terrorist, brutal and extremely shocking, just like over 3,000 other murders; yet, compare and contrast the attention and the demands in respect of those.

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“If we want to talk about collusion, we need to talk about all the collusion. What did Martin McGuinness know about the Enniskillen bombing? What did he know about the murder of Pat Gillespie?”

Mr Allister added: “If there are those who colluded, it is not a one-way street. Anyone involved in criminality deserves the rigours of the law. There should be no exemptions for Sinn Féin or anyone else. That should be the starting principle.”

DUP and UUP MLAs also cautioned against creating a “hierarchy of victims”.

However, Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd said the level of state collusion in Mr Finucane’s murder should “concern everyone” in the NI Assembly, while Dolores Kelly of the SDLP said the UK Government has “failed miserably” to deliver justice.

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Pat Finucane was shot dead at his north Belfast home in front of his family by the UDA in 1989.

The Police Ombudsman has said the outstanding issues related to his murder, which have not yet been investigated, will progress “when resources allow”.

The Law Society of NI has said it “notes with concern” the Secretary of State’s decision not to establish a public inquiry.

Responding to that statement, Alliance MP Stephen Farry said: “Further confirmation that this is not a unionist v nationalist issue but rather a matter of fundamentalist issues regarding the rule of law and accountability which affect us all.”

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Les Allamby of the NI Human Rights Commission, described the decision as “deeply concerning,” and added: “The onus remains on the Secretary of State to ensure an Article 2 right to life compliant inquiry is conducted as soon as possible into the death of Pat Finucane, in line with the judgment of the UK Supreme Court.

“The Commission will now write to the Secretary of State on this matter.”

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