The family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane has lodged papers in Belfast's High Court in a bid to force the British government to publish a report into his killing.
Mr Finucane was shot dead in front of his wife and children at their north Belfast home in 1989 by the Ulster Defence Association.
His widow Geraldine lodged papers in the court seeking leave to apply for a judicial review of the government's decision so far not to publish the report, which it received three months ago.
Retired Canadian Supreme Court judge Peter Cory examined allegations of security force collusion in some of the most controversial killings of the troubles. He was asked by the British and Irish governments to focus on six killings and Dublin has already published the reports it received into two IRA attacks.
In the absence of publication by the British government, Judge Cory yesterday phoned the families of the victims to say he had recommended public inquiries into each murder.
His call saying that there was sufficient suspicion of collusion in each case to warrant a public inquiry prompted the Finucane family to launch the legal action so they could see what was in the report for themselves.
The Northern Ireland Office made it clear the government will fight the action to force it to act before it is ready. A spokeswoman said: "The Finucane family have sought leave to apply for a judicial review, if leave is granted then the government will defend itself."
The legal action came as the SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan sought to put international pressure on Prime Minister Tony Blair to publish the report. He also accused Mr Blair of "giving every impression of trying to do a cover up."
The murders under investigation are:
- The UVF shooting of solicitor Pat Finucane in front of his family in his north Belfast home in February 1989.
- The loyalist killing of Lurgan solicitor Rosemary Nelson who was blown up by a bomb under her car as she drove away from her home in March 1999.
- The murder of Portadown Catholic Peter Hamill who was kicked to death by a loyalist mob in May 1997.
- The shooting of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright, who was gunned down inside the Maze Prison by the INLA in December 1997.
Judge Cory also presented the Irish Government with reports into the killing of two RUC officers and a Northern Ireland High Court judge and his wife, which have been surrounded by allegations of collusion by gardaí.
Dublin has decided to hold an inquiry into the killing of RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan and Chief Superintendent Harry Breen who were gunned down by the IRA after a security meeting with their counterparts in the Republic.
The judge also examined allegations of Garda collusion in the killings of Lord Maurice Gibson and his wife Lady Cecily as they crossed the border in April 1987.
PA