BBC News | NORTHERN IRELAND | Possible inquiry into collusion claims

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BBC News Online: UK: Northern Ireland

Tuesday, 7 March, 2000, 17:28 GMT

Possible inquiry into collusion claims

Rosemary Nelson was murdered by a loyalist car bomb

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson has not ruled out the possibility of an independent inquiry into claims of security force collusion in a murder.

Mr Mandelson made the comment after being briefed on progress in the investigation into the killing of Catholic solicitor Rosemary Nelson.

Colin Port, the deputy chief constable of Norfolk police, is leading the murder investigation and met Mr Mandelson in Lurgan police station, County Armagh on Tuesday.

Mrs Nelson was murdered in a loyalist car bomb, which exploded as she drove away from her home in Lurgan, County Armagh on 15 March last year.

Mr Port was called in to head the investigation amid the collusion allegations.

After the meeting, Mr Mandelson said he had not ruled out such an inquiry, adding that he had received a "comprehensive briefing on the investigation".

He said: "Colin Port is an outstanding, experienced officer and having met his team today I can better appreciate the scale of the investigation and the clear commitment, focus and expertise of the staff working for him.

"He has assembled a range of excellent officers from across UK policing.

"They have shown me that they are totally committed to catching the murderers of Rosemary Nelson and investigating the allegations surrounding the circumstances of her death."

Mrs Nelson was involved in a number of high-profile cases. She represented the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition who have been involved in a dispute over an annual Orange Order march at Drumcree in nearby Portadown.

She claimed to have received threats from RUC officers via her clients. These were said to have been made during interviews with suspects in police custody.

Mrs Nelson had lodged formal complaints about the threats and it emerged after her murder that the allegations were being investigated within the force.

No-one charged

The Department of Public Prosecutions decided not to prosecute over the claims.

It is not yet known whether any RUC officers will face internal disciplinary action.

A splinter loyalist group, the Red Hand Defenders, admitted the murder, but the larger group, the Loyalist Volunteer Force, has also been linked with the murder.

Mr Port has a team of approximately 20 RUC officers and 45 officers drawn from other UK forces working on the case.

No-one has yet been charged in connection with the murder.

Call for independent inquiry

Meanwhile, Mrs Nelson's family have called for an independent inquiry into her murder.

They are being supported in their call by the human rights groups, Amnesty International, British Irish Rights Watch, the Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers of the International Commission of Jurists, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Human Rights Watch and the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

In a joint statement those organisations recently accused the Northern Ireland Office and RUC of "failing to ensure Mrs Nelson's protection".

Sinn Fein assembly member Dara O'Hagan also met Mr Mandelson to discuss the case at Castle Buildings, Stormont.

She said she wanted to see the murder investigation carried out properly.

Related to this story:
NI ministers support lawyer death inquiry (08 Jan 00 | Northern Ireland)
Government 'failed to protect lawyer' (10 Dec 99 | Northern Ireland)
Chief rejects RUC criticism (30 Jun 99 | UK)
Crowds mourn murdered lawyer (18 Mar 99 | UK)
Bomb kills Northern Ireland lawyer (05 Apr 99 | UK)
Outsiders lead car bomb probe (16 Mar 99 | UK)

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