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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| SF meet Blair on police collusion | SF meet Blair on police collusion |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Sinn Fein delegation has discussed collusion between police and loyalist killers with Prime Minister Tony Blair. | |
| It follows last week's Police Ombudsman's report which said Special Branch officers gave a UVF gang behind murders in north Belfast immunity. | It follows last week's Police Ombudsman's report which said Special Branch officers gave a UVF gang behind murders in north Belfast immunity. |
| Speaking before going into the Downing Street meeting, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Mr Blair had to acknowledge what had happened. | |
| He said he should "admit what was done" in the name of the British people. | He said he should "admit what was done" in the name of the British people. |
| "The British government have a choice which is what they've done futilely for the last 30 years, or they can acknowledge what's happened, and they can deal with the families who have been bereaved," he said. | "The British government have a choice which is what they've done futilely for the last 30 years, or they can acknowledge what's happened, and they can deal with the families who have been bereaved," he said. |
| "And you know, we would like to think that before Mr Blair leaves this office, that he will be courageous about that - that he will feel the hand of history on his shoulder." | "And you know, we would like to think that before Mr Blair leaves this office, that he will be courageous about that - that he will feel the hand of history on his shoulder." |
| Prosecuted | Prosecuted |
| Police colluded with loyalists behind over a dozen murders in north Belfast, the Ombudsman said. | Police colluded with loyalists behind over a dozen murders in north Belfast, the Ombudsman said. |
| The Special Branch officers "created false notes" and blocked searches for UVF weapons, said the ombudsman's report. | The Special Branch officers "created false notes" and blocked searches for UVF weapons, said the ombudsman's report. |
| They also paid almost £80,000 to leading loyalist Mark Haddock, jailed for 10 years last November for an attack on a nightclub doorman. | They also paid almost £80,000 to leading loyalist Mark Haddock, jailed for 10 years last November for an attack on a nightclub doorman. |
| The report, published last Monday, called for a number of murder investigations to be re-opened. | The report, published last Monday, called for a number of murder investigations to be re-opened. |
| But it is unlikely that any of the police officers involved will be prosecuted - the ombudsman said that evidence was deliberately destroyed to ensure there could not be prosecutions. | But it is unlikely that any of the police officers involved will be prosecuted - the ombudsman said that evidence was deliberately destroyed to ensure there could not be prosecutions. |
| The ombudsman's investigation began more than three years ago when Belfast welder Raymond McCord claimed that his son, also called Raymond, had been killed by a police informer. | The ombudsman's investigation began more than three years ago when Belfast welder Raymond McCord claimed that his son, also called Raymond, had been killed by a police informer. |
| The former RAF man, 22, Mr McCord jnr, was a member of the UVF who had some involvement in drugs. | The former RAF man, 22, Mr McCord jnr, was a member of the UVF who had some involvement in drugs. |