1st July 2003

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Euro ruling vindicates calls for public inquiry into Collusion

Sinn Fein Dáil leader Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin TD reacting to the EU Court ruling in the Finucane Case has said it ``vindicates those campaigning for a full public inquiry in to the numerous deaths where there is ample evidence to support claims of collusion between British forces and unionist death squads.''

Deputy Ó Caoláin said:

``The ruling has confirmed what many have suspected and indeed known for years ? that is that the RUC and other agencies of the British Crown actively assisted Unionist assassins by failing to properly investigate the killings or to do anything about death threats that were issued prior to the killings.

``However, we all know that collusion went much further than this. We know that the RUC, through its Special Branch and the British Army's Force Research Unit as well as MI5 actively participated in many killings by providing the logistical backup to the killers and in helping them evade arrest.

``Today's unanimous ruling by the Court in Strasbourg clearly shows the need for a full public inquiry into not just the Finucane killing but also the host of other killings that have taken place as a result of collusion between the death squads and Britain's state forces.

``We need to get full disclosure in all of this. We need to know how far up the chain of command the British Governments policy of murdering Irish citizens went.''

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