Pat Finucane: Government decision due on inquiry

The government is expected to announce later if it will order a public inquiry into what has become one of the most notorious murders of the Troubles.

Solicitor Pat Finucane, 39, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in 1989.

His family has fought a long campaign, involving numerous legal actions, in a bid to have London fulfil a commitment given 20 years ago to hold an inquiry.

Several examinations of the case found state forces colluded in his murder.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis is due to make an announcement after contacting Mr Finucane's family.

The government has been forced into a decision by two legal actions - one involving the UK Supreme Court in February last year.

It found there had never been an adequate investigation into the murder, but stopped short of directing a public inquiry, ruling it was entirely a matter for the government.

After more than a year passed, Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine, launched legal action to force a response.

A public inquiry is supported by the Irish government, Labour and four Northern Ireland political parties - Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance and the Green Party.

Mr Finucane acted for loyalists and republicans - many of them high-profile cases involving the IRA.

The claim made by his killers, that he was a member of the IRA himself, was rejected by the police and strongly denied by his family.

He was shot 14 times by two gunmen who burst into his north Belfast home during a family dinner in February 1989.

Later it emerged two agents within the UDA, one working for the Army, the other for the police, had played a key role in targeting Mr Finucane and supplying one of the guns.

Investigations also found MI5 ignored threat intelligence and justice was obstructed.

In 2012, then Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for "frankly shocking levels of collusion".

After changing course on a 2001 commitment to a public inquiry, Mr Cameron had ordered an independent review of the case by lawyer Sir Desmond de Silva.

Sir Desmond reported there was "no over-arching state conspiracy" in Mr Finucane's murder.

However, Mr Finucane's family have claimed collusion went to the top of government and maintain only a public inquiry can bring full disclosure.