Security 'Links' To Murder Plots

Members of the RUC and UDR colluded with loyalist
paramilitaries in 74 murders in the 1970s, according to an
international panel of legal experts.

The four-strong team examined 76 killings between 1972 and
1977 and said there was evidence of collusion in all but
two of the cases.

It said some senior officers knew of the crimes but "failed
to act to prevent or punish" those responsible.

The panel urged the government to set up an independent
investigation.

The report claimed that "credible evidence indicates that
superiors of violent, extremist officers and agents, at
least within the RUC, were aware of their sectarian crimes,
yet failed to act to prevent, investigate or punish them".

The government told the panel it would be inappropriate to
comment as the murders were already the subject of
inquiries by a number of agencies.

These included the European Court of Human Rights, the
Historical Enquiries Team, and the Police Ombudsman.

The panel was convened two years ago at the request of the
Pat Finucane Centre.

Bombings

Copies of the report have been given to the British
government and the Police Ombudsman's Office.

The 108-page report examined 25 cases on both sides of the
Irish border.

The cases examined in the Republic of Ireland include the
Dublin and Monaghan bombings, explosions in Dundalk and
Castleblayney and the murder of John Francis Green.

The independent panel who produced the report were
Professor Douglass Cassel of Notre Dame Law School in the
US, Susie Kemp, an international lawyer based in The Hague,
Piers Pigou - an investigator for the South African Truth
and Reconciliation Commission and Stephen Sawyer of
Northwestern University School of Law.

Last year, the Irish government said it was to give Tony
Blair a final chance to aid an inquiry into the Dublin and
Monaghan bombings.

Irish premier Bertie Ahern said he may take a case to the
European Court of Human Rights if Mr Blair did not hand
over British government files on the 1974 bombings.
The UVF was suspected of carrying out the attacks which
killed 33 people. No-one was convicted of the bombings.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2006/11/06 11:00:28 GMT
© BBC MMVI

The Irish News, 7 November 2006: Questions haunt probe into loyalist collusion.

The Dundalk Democrat, 15 November 2006:'We just want the truth' New investigation into 1975 bombing