THERE isn’t enough evidence to charge any police officers or soldiers with involvement in the murder of Pat Finucane, the Prosecution Service revealed today. Collusion investigator Lord Stevens has already established how the state collaborated with loyalist terrorists in the lawyer’s murder, but no-one will be prosecuted. While republicans will see this as another whitewash to cover up state involvement in the political murder of a nationalist, it will be interesting to see what practical help a mainstream Republican Movement which shares the Government’s aim of airbrushing history can offer Mr Finucane’s family.Update:
Here are some quotes from the third Stevens Inquiry report of 2003.
I have uncovered enough evidence to lead me to believe that the murders of Patrick Finucane and Brian Adam Lambert could have been prevented. I also believe that the RUC investigation of Patrick Finucane’s murder should have resulted in the early arrest and detection of his killers.
I conclude there was collusion in both murders and the circumstances surrounding them. Collusion is evidenced in many ways. This ranges from the wilful failure to keep records, the absence of accountability, the withholding of intelligence and evidence, through to the extreme of agents being involved in murder.
…
The unlawful involvement of agents in murder implies that the security forces sanction killings.
My three Enquiries have found all these elements of collusion to be present. The co-ordination, dissemination and sharing of intelligence were poor. Informants
and agents were allowed to operate without effective control and to participate in terrorist crimes. Nationalists were known to be targeted but were not properly warned or protected. Crucial information was withheld from Senior Investigating Officers. Important evidence was neither exploited nor preserved.
My enquiries with regard to satisfying the test for prosecution in relation to possible offences arising out of these matters are continuing.
Now it seems that test for prosecution will not be passed.