by Our News Desk

DAVID CAMERON’S refusal to hold a public inquiry in to the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane was morally and legally “indefensible,” a court heard yesterday.

A judicial review was launched at Belfast High Court yesterday into the decision by the Prime Minister to rule out an inquiry into the 1989 Ulster Defence Association shooting in the city.

Barry MacDonald QC, representing Mr Finucane’s wife Geraldine, alleged the Prime Minister rejected an inquiry into claims of state collusion with the loyalist paramilitary killers over fears of criticism from elements of the Conservative Party and the right-wing press in Britain.

Opening the case before judge Mr Justice Stephens, he said the murder was one of the “most notorious” of the Troubles.

“It is notorious for good reason,” Mr MacDonald added. “The available evidence suggests that agents of the state responsible for law enforcement devised and operated a policy of extra-judicial execution.

“The essential feature of which was that loyalist terrorist organisations were infiltrated, resourced and manipulated in order to murder individuals identified by the state and their agents as suitable for assassination.

“In other words ‘murder by proxy’ whereby the state itself engaged in terrorism through the agency of loyalist paramilitaries.”

The barrister added that the decision not to hold an inquiry is “indefensible both morally and legally.”

Mr Finucane’s family has long campaigned for a full independent public inquiry into his murder, but Mr Cameron has insisted such an exercise would not shed any more light on the events.

A government-commissioned review published by Sir Desmond de Silva detailed shocking levels of state involvement.