NORTHERN SECRETARY Owen Paterson has appointed a team of officials to check the findings of the inquiry into the loyalist murder of lawyer Rosemary Nelson in 1999.
In a written statement to the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Paterson said his team would check the findings of the inquiry which examined allegations of collusion surrounding her murder by loyalists.
The team will scrutinise the report in relation to protection of human rights and UK national security matters. Citing the European Convention on Human Rights, Mr Paterson said he had to ensure personally that publication of the report, due at the end of next month, would not endanger the lives or safety of any individuals.
Ms Nelson (40), a mother of three, was killed by a bomb planted under her car outside her home in Lurgan, Co Armagh.
The British government ordered an inquiry into the murder following a recommendation by Canadian judge Peter Corry who investigated allegations of collusion between the security forces and paramilitary groups in a series of controversial cases, including the murder of Pat Finucane.
The Nelson inquiry, which has cost more than £45 million (€52 million) since it was established in 2005, has been held under the chairmanship of Sir Michael Morland. Mr Paterson, who is currently in the US, told MPs in his written statement his team would comprise the Northern Ireland Office principal legal adviser, two officials from the British ministry of defence, one official from the PSNI and another official and a legal adviser from the security service “who are familiar with the sensitive material provided to the inquiry panel”.
“This team will be granted access to the report under strict terms of confidentiality and for the sole purpose of carrying out the necessary checks,” he added.
“They will report directly to me alone. Neither I nor any official beyond the members of the checking team will have access to the report until 24 hours before it is published. Sir Michael Morland has agreed that this team can carry out the checks on the inquiry’s premises while the report remains in the custody of the inquiry.”
Mr Paterson said he wanted to publish the inquiry findings in their entirety, but he conceded: “In the very unlikely event that any redaction was deemed necessary, my intention would be to make this clear on the face of the report.”