23/02/2004

Finucane family press Stevens on murder inquiry progress

The family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane have met with Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir John Stevens to discuss the progress of the investigation into his murder.

Speaking before the meeting, the first with the inquiry's senior police officer, Geraldine Finucane said her family simply wanted the truth to be told about how her husband died.

Calling for the files to be made available to a public inquiry, Mrs Finucane said: "We want the truth. The families have no input into a police investigation. It is carried out in secret. The family will have no input into any future trials.

"We could not accept any conclusions or recommendations from a secret process. We want to challenge any official state version of the surrounding circumstances of my husband's murder."

Last month, a High Court judge in Belfast granted an application for a judicial review made by Geraldine Finucane over the delay of the British government in publishing the Cory Report.

Mrs Finucane sought the judicial review in an attempt to force the disclosure of Judge Cory's report into the controversial killing of her husband in 1989.

The review will examine the failure of the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Paul Murphy to make public the findings of the retired Canadian judge's report.

The Cory Report was handed to the Irish and British governments in October last year.

Solicitor Pat Finucane was shot dead at his north Belfast home 14 years ago by the UDA.

Supporters of the Finucane family have maintained that collusion between the UDA and the British Army led to the solicitors murder.

(MB)

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