Demands for an investigation into the controversial killings of three IRA men in Northern Ireland come before the House of Lords today.
The authorities have continued to resist calls from relatives and human rights campaigners for a new inquiry into allegations of a shoot-to-kill policy surrounding the deaths of the terrorists more than 20 years ago.
Gervaise McKerr, Eugene Toman and Sean Burns died when police fired 109 rounds at the car they were in near Lurgan, Co Armagh, in November 1982.
In May 2001, the European Court of Human Rights found that the British government was guilty of a breach to their right to life. But British authorities have taken no further action and have resisted calls by the Mc Kerr family for an independent investigation.
Campaigners have described their fight as a leading test case on the right to life and insist the outcome will affect many other shoot-to-kill claims.
Mr Richie MacRitchie, of solicitors Madden and Finucane, said: "The government have continued to defend their position and have appealed to the House of Lords, arguing that they should not be obliged to investigate murders committed by their own security forces which occurred prior to October 2000, the date the Human Rights Act came into effect."
The hearing is expected to last for two days.
PA