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Pat Finucane: Security service wiped hard drives | Pat Finucane: Security service wiped hard drives |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The security service MI5 wiped secret information from computer hard drives being held by an inquiry examining the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane. | The security service MI5 wiped secret information from computer hard drives being held by an inquiry examining the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane. |
Retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory, head of the inquiry, complained to police and feared a diplomatic incident. | Retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory, head of the inquiry, complained to police and feared a diplomatic incident. |
In 2004, he recommended a public inquiry into the killing, but one has yet to be held. | In 2004, he recommended a public inquiry into the killing, but one has yet to be held. |
Mr Finucane's family believes state collusion in his murder went to the top of government. | Mr Finucane's family believes state collusion in his murder went to the top of government. |
The prominent solicitor was shot dead by loyalists at his home in north Belfast in 1989. | The prominent solicitor was shot dead by loyalists at his home in north Belfast in 1989. |
Details of a visit by MI5 to Judge Cory's London offices in 2002 - corroborated by the inquiry's senior counsel - are contained in a BBC Spotlight programme. | Details of a visit by MI5 to Judge Cory's London offices in 2002 - corroborated by the inquiry's senior counsel - are contained in a BBC Spotlight programme. |
MI5 told his staff they were removing all the inquiry's hard drives in the interests of national security. | MI5 told his staff they were removing all the inquiry's hard drives in the interests of national security. |
They were erased before being returned. | They were erased before being returned. |
BBC Spotlight was told MI5 was concerned the inquiry's computer system was insecure and a leak could expose the identities of informers. | BBC Spotlight was told MI5 was concerned the inquiry's computer system was insecure and a leak could expose the identities of informers. |
Judge Cory raised MI5's intervention with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir John Stevens, but decided against pursuing the matter to prevent a diplomatic incident. | Judge Cory raised MI5's intervention with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir John Stevens, but decided against pursuing the matter to prevent a diplomatic incident. |
The judge had printed back-up copies of the material and believes nothing was ultimately lost. | The judge had printed back-up copies of the material and believes nothing was ultimately lost. |
'Cabinet eyes only' | 'Cabinet eyes only' |
Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine, said: "I was told that papers marked 'cabinet eyes only' involved the collusion and the killing of my husband. | Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine, said: "I was told that papers marked 'cabinet eyes only' involved the collusion and the killing of my husband. |
"There is something there that needs to be exposed," she told the programme. | "There is something there that needs to be exposed," she told the programme. |
BBC Spotlight also reveals that the late Willie Frazer, the campaigner for victims of republican violence, had a role in distributing weapons to loyalist paramilitary groups. | BBC Spotlight also reveals that the late Willie Frazer, the campaigner for victims of republican violence, had a role in distributing weapons to loyalist paramilitary groups. |
The automatic rifles had been brought into Northern Ireland from South Africa in 1987 by Ulster Resistance. | |
The weapons were used to murder at least 70 people. | The weapons were used to murder at least 70 people. |
What was Ulster Resistance? | |
Ulster Resistance was a loyalist paramilitary-style group set up in protest against the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement. | |
Unionists were angered by the deal which, for the first time, gave the Irish government an official consultative role in Northern Ireland's affairs. | |
Ulster Resistance was launched during a large rally in the Ulster Hall in Belfast on 10 November 1986. | |
The rally was addressed by the then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Ian Paisley, as well as senior DUP members Peter Robinson and Sammy Wilson. | |
Further rallies followed in towns across Northern Ireland and Mr Paisley and Mr Robinson were both photographed wearing red military-style berets at Ulster Resistance events. | |
The DUP publically cut its links with Ulster Resistance in the late 1980s after members of the group were linked to the importation of weapons into Northern Ireland. | |
In 1988, 10 people were arrested after police found a suspected Ulster Resistance weapons dump in County Armagh. | |
The following year, three men were arrested in Paris over an alleged Ulster Resistance plot to exchange British missile secrets for South African guns. | |
All three men were convicted of arms trafficking and were given fines and suspended sentences. | |
A number of South African diplomats were expelled from Britain and France after the missile plot was uncovered. | |
A police report on the activities of the former UDA boss Johnny Adair states he was receiving weapons from Ulster Resistance in the early 1990s. | A police report on the activities of the former UDA boss Johnny Adair states he was receiving weapons from Ulster Resistance in the early 1990s. |
His contact in Ulster Resistance was Willie Frazer. | His contact in Ulster Resistance was Willie Frazer. |
Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History continues on Tuesday at 21:00 BST on BBC One NI and BBC Four. | Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History continues on Tuesday at 21:00 BST on BBC One NI and BBC Four. |