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Coroner John Leckey 'to lift suspension' of Troubles inquests Suspension of inquests into Northern Ireland killings is lifted
(about 2 hours later)
It is expected that Northern Ireland's senior coroner will lift the suspension that he imposed on inquests into 21 controversial Troubles killings. Up to 21 inquests into controversial killings in Northern Ireland are to proceed after a suspension was lifted.
The majority of cases involve people who were killed by the Army in the 1970s. The tribunals, ordered by Attorney General John Larkin, were halted when senior coroner John Leckey questioned whether he had exceeded his powers.
Mr Leckey suspended the hearings in November, citing potential national security concerns. But a legal challenge to that move by some relatives formally ended at the High Court in Belfast on Monday.
However, some of the families of those who died launched a legal challenge against the coroner's suspension. A lawyer for one family confirmed the judicial review proceedings were halted as Mr Leckey had lifted his suspension.
According to the investigative website, href="http://www.thedetail.tv/issues/168/inquest-suspensions-lifting/grieve-bats-troubles-inquests-back-to-coroner" >the Detail, Mr Leckey is expected to confirm on Monday that he will no longer contest the families' challenge against the suspension. The hearings were adjourned at a preliminary stage last November amid uncertainty over the attorney general's right to authorise them.
The 21 inquests include the deaths of 11 people shot dead by the Army in west Belfast over a three-day period in Ballymurphy, west Belfast in 1971. At the time the coroner, appointed chief legal adviser to the Stormont Executive in 2010, cited potential national security issues.
The cases also include the death of Belfast schoolboy, Francis Rowntree. The 11-year-old was playing with his friends in west Belfast in 1972 when he was fatally injured by a rubber bullet fired by a soldier. The dispute centred on whether the cases should instead have been considered and directed by the advocate general for England and Scotland.
Fresh inquests into the 21 killings were ordered last year by Northern Ireland's top lawyer, Attorney General John Larkin. The coroner's decision provoked outrage among relatives of those whose deaths were to be scrutinised.
However, Mr Leckey said that he believed Mr Larkin may have exceeded his powers and may not have had the legal authority to order the new inquests. Lawyers for a number of the families launched legal challenges, claiming the move was unlawful and procedurally unfair.
The coroner adjourned the inquests on 15 November 2012. The deaths that were due to be scrutinised include 11-year-old Francis Rowntree, who was hit by a rubber bullet fired by a soldier in west Belfast in 1972.
Mr Leckey then referred the matter to Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers to seek clarification, as national security issues are not devolved from Westminster. Another case involves Gerard Slane, a 27-year-old father of three shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association at his home in the city in 1988.
Representatives for the families said some of them had waited more than 40 years for fresh inquests into their loved one's deaths and were very upset by the blanket suspension. His killing sparked claims of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and the security forces.
Proceedings were also brought on behalf of relatives of Gerard Casey, murdered by the Ulster Freedom Fighters in Rasharkin, County Antrim in 1989; Danny Doherty and William Fleming, shot dead by the SAS in Londonderry in 1984; and Francis Bradley, killed by the SAS near Castledawson, County Londonderry in 1986.
A full hearing of the families' judicial review challenge was due to take place next week.
But in court on Monday the case was brought to an end, with the judge told there was no longer any requirement for the challenge.
Outside the court solicitor Paul Pierce, representing Mr Slane's widow Teresa, said: "We welcome the decision by the coroner to lift the suspension in relation to these inquests."