McCord calls for independent inquiry

The family of Raymond McCord jnr, one of at least 10 people killed by loyalists who were working as Special Branch informers, …

The family of Raymond McCord jnr, one of at least 10 people killed by loyalists who were working as Special Branch informers, have called for a fully independent inquiry into collusion.

Raymond McCord snr, whose son was the main focus of Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report into collusion between the North's police force and loyalist paramilitaries, said he would continue the family's fight to get justice.

Mr McCord said: "This report is not the end of our struggle to get justice for young Raymond. It is the means by which we can go forward to get justice and uncover the truth so that these horrible deeds will never be allowed to happen again.

"To such ends whilst my family are disappointed that there would appear to be no criminal prosecutions against rogue police officers, we note the report recommendation to reinvestigate murders connected to this inquiry with optimism.

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"Our demands go much further than a criminal trial," he said.

"We now intend to petition the secretary of state [for Northern Ireland] for a fully independent international judicial inquiry into my son's murder and to other victims of state collusion."

Speaking earlier today on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr McCord called on Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams not to endorse the PSNI in light of the report's findings. Mr McCord said he met Mr Adams last week and had a "good meeting".

"This [Nuala O'Loan's report] shows the police have not changed," he said.

Mr McCord said he wanted those responsible for his son's death to be tried and imprisoned, adding that the policemen involved in the cover-up should also be prosecuted and imprisoned.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said Ms O'Loan's report confirms what the families of the "hundreds bereaved by collusion between British state forces and unionist death squads have been saying for years".

He said this report was only the tip of the iceberg as it had only dealt with the impact of collusion in a "relatively small area and over a relatively short period of time".

"It is clear from the seniority of those involved within the old RUC who were involved in this investigation that collusion was a matter of political and administrative practice which existed at all levels of the RUC and British government," he said.

"Clearly some of those involved in collusion are still in policing. Sinn Fein is determined to drum these human rights abusers out of policing and we are committed to supporting bereaved relatives in their ongoing search for truth.

"The role of former Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan is now also in the spotlight as is the failure of the DPP to take action against identified RUC members and others who were involved in collusion.

"The Ombudsman report only scraps the surface of collusion. There are hundreds and hundreds of families who want the truth," he added.

The UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) issued a statement saying the findings were "both appalling and shameful".

"It highlights the failings of some RUC Special Branch handlers to uphold law and order and act with integrity and honesty in performing their duties.

"This failure quite literally allowed informants to get away with murder.

"Our thoughts are with the families of those killed, some whom are learning for the first time that security forces colluded in the death of their loved ones".