By Chris Anderson.
A former senior police officer has told the inquiry into the murder of LVF leader, Billy Wright there was a systematic failure on the part of RUC Special Branch officers to warn people their lives were under threat.
Vincent McFadden, the senior investigating officer with the Stevens Team which investigated allegations of security force and loyalist collusion in Northern Ireland , said he had evidence RUC Special Branch had failed to warn 255 individuals their lives were at risk during a two year period between 1989 and 1991.
He said the majority of the 255 individuals were members of the Catholic community and some had links to paramilitary organisations.
Mr McFadden said the Stevens Team found no evidence that any of the individuals had ever been warned by the RUC that their lives were under threat.
The inquiry was told a number of those threatened were later shot and killed.
The former Detective Chief Superintendent said he knew of instances where RUC Special Branch failed to take act on the receipt of intelligence they received.
He said he had records in his possession which showed this to be the case.
Mr McFadden said other security agencies – including British military intelligence - had “sanitised” information passed between them making it difficult to take action.
He said in some instances the military knew the RUC were not acting on intelligence received but did nothing to alter that fact.
Vincent McFadden said there were instances where agents had told their security force handlers about threats to individuals but no further action was taken.
When asked by Alan Kane QC, counsel for the Wright family, if the RUC were behaving with equal disregard involving the right to life of individuals from both sections of the community Mr McFadden responded with a qualified “yes”.
The Inquiry heard how all Northern Ireland ’s major loyalist and republican paramilitary were heavily infiltrated by RUC Special Branch and the British Army’s Force Research Unit (FRU).
The infiltration was extensive and included the upper echelons of the UDA/UFF, IRA and INLA.
The inquiry panel was also told loyalist and republican agents run by RUC Special Branch and FRU had been involved in committing serious criminal offences.
The Wright Inquiry was told the Stevens team had not investigated the circumstances of the LVF leader’s murder.
But, Vincent McFadden said based on his reading of witness statements he believed the authorities had failed in their duty of care responsibility towards Billy Wright.
When questioned by counsel for the PSNI, Mr McFadden admitted his understanding of Billy Wright’s murder was superficial.
The Inquiry was told the Stevens Team did not have any evidence of a threat to Billy Wright’s life prior to his murder at the Maze prison in December 1997.
However, Vincent McFadden said it did not take a “rocket scientist” to know there was a threat to the Portadown loyalist and that it should have been taken seriously.
Vincent McFadden, the senior investigating officer with the Stevens Team which investigated allegations of security force and loyalist collusion in Northern Ireland , said he had evidence RUC Special Branch had failed to warn 255 individuals their lives were at risk during a two year period between 1989 and 1991.
He said the majority of the 255 individuals were members of the Catholic community and some had links to paramilitary organisations.
Mr McFadden said the Stevens Team found no evidence that any of the individuals had ever been warned by the RUC that their lives were under threat.
The inquiry was told a number of those threatened were later shot and killed.
The former Detective Chief Superintendent said he knew of instances where RUC Special Branch failed to take act on the receipt of intelligence they received.
He said he had records in his possession which showed this to be the case.
Mr McFadden said other security agencies – including British military intelligence - had “sanitised” information passed between them making it difficult to take action.
He said in some instances the military knew the RUC were not acting on intelligence received but did nothing to alter that fact.
Vincent McFadden said there were instances where agents had told their security force handlers about threats to individuals but no further action was taken.
When asked by Alan Kane QC, counsel for the Wright family, if the RUC were behaving with equal disregard involving the right to life of individuals from both sections of the community Mr McFadden responded with a qualified “yes”.
The Inquiry heard how all Northern Ireland ’s major loyalist and republican paramilitary were heavily infiltrated by RUC Special Branch and the British Army’s Force Research Unit (FRU).
The infiltration was extensive and included the upper echelons of the UDA/UFF, IRA and INLA.
The inquiry panel was also told loyalist and republican agents run by RUC Special Branch and FRU had been involved in committing serious criminal offences.
The Wright Inquiry was told the Stevens team had not investigated the circumstances of the LVF leader’s murder.
But, Vincent McFadden said based on his reading of witness statements he believed the authorities had failed in their duty of care responsibility towards Billy Wright.
When questioned by counsel for the PSNI, Mr McFadden admitted his understanding of Billy Wright’s murder was superficial.
The Inquiry was told the Stevens Team did not have any evidence of a threat to Billy Wright’s life prior to his murder at the Maze prison in December 1997.
However, Vincent McFadden said it did not take a “rocket scientist” to know there was a threat to the Portadown loyalist and that it should have been taken seriously.
