11 March 1999 Edition
Law Society attempts to block Finucane report
by Dan O'Neill
Leading officers of the Law Society in the Six Counties are trying to stop their own Human Rights Committee considering a report into the role of British intelligence in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane ten years ago.
The society's stance was revealed in the high court in Belfast on Tuesday when Barra McGrory who is chairperson of the Human Rights Committee applied for leave to apply for a judicial review of the Society's decision.
The report , `Deadly Intelligence - State involvement in Loyalist murders in Northern Ireland' drawn up by the British Irish Rights Watch, produces fresh evidence of prior British military intelligence knowledge of Mr Finucane's murder.
McGrory forwarded a copy of the report to John Baille, chief executive of the Law Society and asked him to include it for consideration at a meeting of the Human Rights Committee due to take place on Tuesday, 9 March.
However on March 3 Bailie informed McGrory that it had been decided by himself, Law Society president, Catherine Nixon and junior vice- president, John Meehan, not to refer the report to the committee.
McGrory's affidavit stated that if the officers attempt to control the Human Rights Committee was not resisted, ``the council will potentially be deprived of the detailed consideration of the document by those experienced members of the committee who are not members of the Law Society Council.''
The Law Society here, so far, has failed to support the call by the Law Society for England and Wales for an inquiry due to pressure from unionist solicitors. The solicitors body in England and Wales put it's name to a petition signed by over a thousand international lawyers which was published in Dublin, Belfast and London last month.
In sharp contrast the Bar Council, which represents the north's barristers, did support the demands for a fresh investigation into the murder.
Leading officers of the Law Society in the Six Counties are trying to stop their own Human Rights Committee considering a report into the role of British intelligence in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane ten years ago.
The society's stance was revealed in the high court in Belfast on Tuesday when Barra McGrory who is chairperson of the Human Rights Committee applied for leave to apply for a judicial review of the Society's decision.
The report , `Deadly Intelligence - State involvement in Loyalist murders in Northern Ireland' drawn up by the British Irish Rights Watch, produces fresh evidence of prior British military intelligence knowledge of Mr Finucane's murder.
McGrory forwarded a copy of the report to John Baille, chief executive of the Law Society and asked him to include it for consideration at a meeting of the Human Rights Committee due to take place on Tuesday, 9 March.
However on March 3 Bailie informed McGrory that it had been decided by himself, Law Society president, Catherine Nixon and junior vice- president, John Meehan, not to refer the report to the committee.
McGrory's affidavit stated that if the officers attempt to control the Human Rights Committee was not resisted, ``the council will potentially be deprived of the detailed consideration of the document by those experienced members of the committee who are not members of the Law Society Council.''
The Law Society here, so far, has failed to support the call by the Law Society for England and Wales for an inquiry due to pressure from unionist solicitors. The solicitors body in England and Wales put it's name to a petition signed by over a thousand international lawyers which was published in Dublin, Belfast and London last month.
In sharp contrast the Bar Council, which represents the north's barristers, did support the demands for a fresh investigation into the murder.