Finucane family urge 'no compromise'

Pat Finucane was killed at his Belfast home in 1989

Relatives of murdered Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane have warned nationalist leaders against accepting a watered-down inquiry into the killing as part of any deal to secure their backing for new policing arrangements.

Mr Finucane was killed in front of his wife and children at his north Belfast home in 1989.

The loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters said they carried out the attack.

His family have sent a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

In it, they insisted they would accept nothing less than a full-scale public inquiry along the lines of the Bloody Sunday tribunal under way in Londonderry.

The letter said: "It would be unfortunate if the nationalist parties took the view that something less than what the families are seeking would be acceptable to their electorate."

Pat Finucane: Family refuse to co-operate with Stevens Inquiry

The letter from Mr Finucane's legal firm, Madden and Finucane, said: "The Finucane family have made it very clear that nothing less than a full independent public judicial inquiry under the terms of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act 1921 (upon which the Bloody Sunday Inquiry is based) will be acceptable.

"Such an inquiry will have all the powers of the High Court. It will be able to search for and collate relevant material for distribution to the interested parties; it will be able to search for and subpoena if necessary all relevant witnesses.

"All relevant witnesses and material will be examined in public but most importantly the family will be legally represented."

Collusion allegations

The murder is the subject of an external investigation, headed by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens, into alleged security force collusion with loyalists.

One man, William Stobie is currently awaiting trial, charged with aiding and abetting the Finucane killing.

The letter to Mr Blair said there was "indisputable and overwhelming" evidence of the involvement of the state's own authorities in the murder, including British intelligence and the RUC.

The Finucane family have refused to co-operate with the Stevens Inquiry and maintain the circumstances of the case demand a large-scale public hearing.

'Legal obligations'

Their letter said: "Anything less than the inquiry which the British Government is obliged to conduct and to which the Finucane family are entitled is unacceptable.

"The only reason for refusing such an inquiry would be in an attempt to hide the truth.

"If the British Government do not honour their legal obligations the family will take every legal measure to seek the inquiry to which they are entitled.

"The campaign will only then begin."