Irish Government pressed to search its files to help Finucane family

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

‘It is clear that there was significant knowledge among senior British ministers about the role of Nelson, working as an agent of the British Government and that they moved to cover it up.’

THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has been asked to carry out an extensive trawl of all the official documents in its possession to help the Finucane family in their push for the public inquiry to see how far up in Whitehall the plot by British agents to kill Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane went.

Following this week’s publication of the de Silva report into the February 1989 killing carried out by British Army and RUC Special Branch agents in the UDA, a commitment by the British Government to hold a public inquiry has been reneged on despite having been agreed at the Weston Park talks in 2001.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has now written to Taoiseach Enda Kenny urging the search for vital evidence that could add pressure for a public inquiry.

“The Irish Government needs to shift into a higher gear in support of the family,” Gerry Adams said. “A strategic approach is required that would see the Government use its diplomatic services across the globe and its influence in the USA, in the EU and at the United Nations, where the Irish Government now sits on the Human Rights Council, to win support for the Finucane family.”

Taoiseach Charlie Haughey phoned solicitor PJ McGrory following the murder of Pat Finucane and promised to raise the RUC/UDA threat to his life with Downing Street.

And Gerry Adams is dismissive of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s claim that British Government ministers were not aware of the extent of UDA intelligence officer Brian Nelson’s role as a British Army agent.

“Nelson is believed to have been involved in at least 15 murders, probably many more and scores of attempted killings. Far from prosecuting Nelson fully, and to prevent the detail of Nelson’s role as an agent being scrutinised in court, then Secretary of State Patrick Mayhew did a deal with Nelson. The murder charges against Nelson were dropped.It was agreed that Colonel Gordon Kerr, the head of British military intelligence’s Force Research Unit, which ran many of the collusion operations, would give evidence supporting Nelson.”

The Sinn Féin leader said that British Minister for Defence Tom King, who was Secretary of State for the North at the time of the killing of Pat Finucane, provided a letter of commendation for Nelson.

British Prime Minister John Major held a meeting just before the trial with the North’s Lord Chief Justice, Brian Hutton, and the trial judge, Basil Kelly.

“It is clear,” Gerry Adams said, “that there was significant knowledge among senior British ministers about Nelson's role as an agent of the British Government and that they moved to cover it up.”

The Sinn Féin leader also reveals that in conversation with PJ McGrory, who was his lawyer, the Belfast solicitor told him that the UDA was saying that the RUC was putting it under pressure to kill himself, Pat Finucane and Oliver Kelly.

“PJ told me he briefed the Irish Government who said they would raise it with the NIO. Hours after Pat Finucane was killed, an Irish Government official was in PJ’s home speaking to him about the threats.

“The then Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey, phoned and told PJ that he would take this matter up with Downing Street.”

The Sinn Féin leader posed a number of questions:

“Is there a record of PJ’s conversation with the Taoiseach and with other departmental officials?

“Did the Taoiseach, Mr Haughey, raise this matter with Downing Street or the NIO?

“What information has the Government on the many allegations of collusion than were being made then and since?”