Agents 'attended INLA death plot'

Wright was shot dead by republican prisoners in December 1997

An INLA meeting plotting the murder of Billy Wright was attended by two unidentified security forces agents, the inquiry into his death has heard.

The meeting in north Belfast took place 12 days before the LVF leader was shot dead inside the Maze prison.

Asst Chief Constable Alistair Finlay said police knew about the meeting, but did not know what been discussed.

The inquiry heard that the intelligence sources may have been working for the Army or MI5.

He added that the information had not come from any Special Branch sources.

The Billy Wright Inquiry into the murder of the loyalist leader while he was a prisoner in the Maze in 1997 is examining claims that the police and security services knew there was a plot to kill him but did nothing to thwart it.

The inquiry was told on Friday that the agents at the INLA meeting could have been working for the Army or the security service MI5.

Mr Finlay said he was satisfied the police did not hold any intelligence information on whether the INLA members discussed or planned Billy Wright's murder.

However, he said the police had received intelligence information about a threat to Wright in April 1997, eight months before he was killed.