Public inquiry into murder of Pat Finucane ordered after '35 years of cover-ups' (original) (raw)
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has announced a public inquiry will be held into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane by UDF gunmen with collusion from the British state
Pat Finucane was shot 14 times in front of his family by two Ulster Defence Force (UDF) gunmen
A public inquiry has been ordered into the murder of a prominent lawyer by paramilitary gunmen after collusion from the British state.
Pat Finucane was shot 14 times in front of his family by two Ulster Defence Force (UDF) killers in February 1989. His son has welcomed the decision after years of campaigning, saying they've faced "35 years of cover-ups".
Mr Finucane was a prominent defence solicitor whose clients included IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told the Commons that the Government must "seek transparancy" and deliver on promises previously made to the family.
He said: "It is very hard for any of us to understand fully the trauma of those who lost loved ones - sons and daughters, spouses and partners, fathers and mothers - and what they have been through, and there is of course nothing that any of us can do to bring them back or to erase the deep pain that was caused.
"But what we can do is to seek transparency to help provide answers to families, and to work together for a better future for Northern Ireland which has made so much progress since these terrible events. I hope that this inquiry will – finally - provide the information that the Finucane family has sought for so long."
Mr Finucane, then 39, was killed in his family home in Belfast. A series of probes have found the involvement of security forces in the murder. In 2003 an investigation by Sir John Stevens found there had been collusion between the security forces and Loyalist paramilitaries. In 2012 then-Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for "shocking levels of collusion" that led to Mr Finucane's murder.
Pat Finucane's family (
Image:
PA Wire)
Police informer Ken Barrett was convicted of murder in 2004. And former Special Branch agent William Stobie, who admitted supplying a weapon used in the killing, was shot dead by loyalist gunmen after the murder case against him collapsed.
Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine and the couple's three children have been campaigning for decades for a public inquiry to establish the extent of state involvement. Mr Finucane's son John Finucane, a Sinn Féin MP who does not take his seat in Parliament, posted on Twitter/X: "Today is for my father, Pat Finucane. The announcement that there will now be a public inquiry into his murder is very much welcomed by our family.
"Led by my mother Geraldine, we have campaigned for decades to uncover the truth behind my father’s murder. I want to thank every person who has supported our campaign throughout those years. Today belongs to us all. After 35 years of cover-ups, it is now time for truth."
Mr Benn said: "The plain fact is that two decades on the commitment made by the Government - first in the agreement with the Irish government and then to this House - to establish an inquiry into the death of Mr Finucane remains unfulfilled. It is for this exceptional reason that I have decided to establish an independent inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane under the 2005 Inquiries Act."
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Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the announcement is a "landmark day". She said: "I welcome the announcement that the Finucane family has secured a public inquiry into the killing of their beloved father and husband, Pat Finucane.
"Today is a testament to the unwavering spirit and resolve of Pat's wife, Geraldine, and their children, Katherine, Michael, and John. The Finucane family's determination and dignity throughout 35 years of the most difficult of campaigning has brought about this landmark day.
"Their campaign has been an inspiration to all families struggling for truth and justice. I will continue to support the Finucane family as they continue on their journey towards truth and justice for Pat."
It follows a series of legal challenges. In 2019, the Supreme Court said all previous examinations of the death had not met human rights standards.