Pat Finucane inquiry ‘must be credible’, son says

The public inquiry into the death of solicitor Pat Finucane must be credible, his son John has told a hearing in Washington DC.

Mr Finucane, 39, was shot dead at his family home in north Belfast by the Ulster Defence Association in an attack found by a series of probes to have involved collusion with the state.

In 2012, then-prime minister David Cameron issued a public apology to the Finucane family, saying “I am deeply sorry”.

The UK government announced earlier this year that a public inquiry will be held into the case.

On Tuesday, members of the Finucane family, including Mr Finucane’s widow Geraldine, gave evidence to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a body of the United States House of Representatives.

North Belfast MP John Finucane said his family’s focus is on ensuring the inquiry is “credible” and “capable of gaining trust”.

He said they are “no further on” in terms of details of the inquiry, but said they do not criticise this, adding: “We want to see that everyone is committed to doing this correctly, rather than expeditiously.”

“Our focus, and indeed the focus of those who have supported our call for an inquiry, must now be on ensuring this process is credible, transparent and capable of gaining the trust and endorsement of those who have recognised its need,” he said.

“My mother and I were asked just last week what we wanted from an inquiry, and indeed this is something which we are all giving deep thought and consideration to, but some points are obvious.

“We want an inquiry to be independent from government and free to make its own determinations and recommendations.

“We feel this inquiry needs to be led by an independent judicial panel, complimented by the key appointments to an inquiry, such as counsel to the inquiry, solicitor to the inquiry and secretary to the inquiry also being independent and committed to ensuring the terms of reference are implemented, and followed fairly and sensibly.

“Terms of reference which I have just mentioned are also critical.

“We look forward to engaging with the British government and indeed the inquiry itself on these, for they will be crucial in determining from the outset the inquiry’s ability to examine all of the circumstances leading up to, and following, my father’s murder.”

Now more than ever, we need you and your colleagues being that critical friend to the British government.

Mr Finucane also urged US support for his family.

“As with all stages of our campaign, this is a battle we know we will not be facing alone. American involvement and guardianship of our peace process has proved both pivotal and necessary at times, and so too does this apply when we look at how we are dealing with our past, and in particular the case of Pat Finucane,” he said.

“Now more than ever, we need you and your colleagues being that critical friend to the British government, impressing on them not to waste or undermine this opportunity to finally examine what they described in their own words as ‘one of the darkest chapters from their military history’.”

Representative Chris Smith, co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, paid tribute to the Finucane family as “absolutely tenacious in their arduous journey to this inquiry”.

“For 35 years the Finucane family has steadfastly and honourably pursued an independent public inquiry into the state sponsored collusion in this murder,” he said.