Republicans are trying to twist the truth about the Troubles

For many years, republicans have clamoured for a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane, who was gunned down in front of his wife and children by the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA). This week, they finally got their way: in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Northern Ireland Secretary, Hilary Benn, announced an independent probe into the 1989 killing of the Belfast solicitor who frequently represented IRA men. While his loved ones are no doubt delighted, the relatives of other Troubles’ victims are unhappy that this level of scrutiny will not be applied to the deaths of their family members.

During the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, at least 3,500 murders were committed; the vast majority remain unsolved. In recent years, though, resources have increasingly been concentrated on the relatively small number of cases where state involvement is alleged. The Finucane murder is one of the most high-profile examples.