17th April 2003

---

Stevens - Tip of the Iceberg

Commenting on the imminent publication of the Stevens Report into British collusion with unionist paramilitaries Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said that the report was OEthe tip of the iceberg'. Mr. Adams said:

`` When Sinn Fein first raised the issue of the British policy of collusion in the late 1980's we were a lone voice along with the families of those killed in attempting to expose this scandal. We brought this issue into the negotiations and presented a dossier to the British Prime Minister. Last weekend we again raised with the governments the need for a full public judicial inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane.

`` The British military through FRU and the RUC through the Special Branch controlled and directed the activities of the various loyalist death squads. This was about more than simply passing on information. This was about the deliberate targeting and assassination of citizens. Many of these people were members of my party. It was an attempt to intimidate and brutalise an entire community. In any other country this would bring a government to its knees.

``The limited publication of this Stevens Report is only the tip of the iceberg. It is by no means the end of the matter. Sinn Fein will continue to support the demands of the families for a full public judicial inquiry into the policy of collusion.''

---

Sinn Fein Press Office, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: +353-1-8726100 and +353-1-8726839   ·   Fax +353-1-8733074
E-mail: sfpress@eircom.net   ·   Website: http://www.sinnfein.org

---

Sinn Fein   ·   Sinn Fein Documents

---