No police officers or soldiers are to be charged after a major investigation into collusion with loyalist paramilitaries involved in the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, it was revealed today.
Even though a marathon 14-year investigation by former Scotland Yard chief Lord Stevens established rogue elements within the Northern Ireland security forces collaborated with terrorist killers, the prosecuting authorities have ruled there is insufficient evidence to press charges.
Their decision means senior officers in the former Royal Ulster Constabulary and military intelligence will not stand trial for any alleged involvement in the Finucane murder.
Pamela Atchison, assistant director, Public Prosecution Service
The 39-year-old lawyer was shot dead in February 1989 in front of his family when gunmen burst into his north Belfast home.
Just one of the killers was convicted, while a second was acquitted and later shot dead by former associates in the Ulster Defence Association.
Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said a wide range of offences, including murder, had been considered against a number of individuals, but there was not enough evidence to bring charges.
In a report handed over four years ago, it was claimed that informants and agents were allowed to operate without effective control and to participate in terrorist crimes.
Lord Stevens said the Finucane killing could have been prevented, and claimed his investigations were willfully obstructed and misled.
But as the PPS announced its decision that no further prosecutions will be brought, assistant director Pamela Atchison said: "Some of the difficulties included an absence of particular records, potential witnesses who had since died and the inability in certain instances to identify the role and responsibilities that individuals played in specific events.
"In addition, the prosecution had to take account of potential abuse of process arguments by the defence that any trial at this stage would be unfair."
At the heart of the Stevens inquiry, his third into Northern Ireland, was the role of the British army's surveillance operations in Ulster at that time, especially the Force Research Unit (FRU).
Nine former members of the covert agency, including its ex-chief Gordon Kerr, were questioned, as well as seven police officers and one civilian.
Also under investigation were three UDA members who were working for the intelligence services: Brian Nelson, who supplied information to FRU; Ken Barrett, who later admitted shooting Mr Finucane; and William Stobie, an RUC informer shot dead by loyalists when they feared he was about to testify against them.
Loyalist gunmen targeted Mr Finucane because he had represented a number of IRA men in the courts - but his family categorically denied he was linked to the organisation.
Even though it was claimed British intelligence had been warned in advance that the lawyer was going to be shot, Mr Finucane was not alerted.
But in its statement today, the PPS insisted: "There was insufficient evidence to establish that any member of FRU had agreed with Brian Nelson or any other person that Patrick Finucane should be murdered or had knowledge at the relevant time that the murder was to take place."
PA