Man charged with Finucane murder

POLICE LAST night charged a man with the murder of the Catholic lawyer Pat Finucane in Belfast 10 years ago.

The 48-year-old man, who was detained for questioning in west Belfast on Tuesday, was due to appear before magistrates this morning.

The loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters claimed responsibility for the murder of the solicitor at his home in the north of the city in February 1989.

The Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner, John Stevens, was called in by the Royal Ulster Constabulary Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, in April to lead an inquiry into the Finucane killing. There have been allegations that security forces were involved in targeting Mr Finucane. The arrest was the first since Mr Stevens began his work.

Scotland Yard said last night: "At 9.15pm today, detectives from the Stevens inquiry charged a man with the murder of Patrick Finucane." Police refused to reveal the identity of the accused man.

Mr Stevens had carried out two previous investigations into allegations of security force collusion with loyalists in Northern Ireland.