The Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, has urged the Government to carry out a swift investigation into allegations of collusion between the IRA and the Garda, it was learned yesterday.
In a leaked letter dated April 21st to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, welcoming the announcement of the inquiry, Mr Mandelson stressed that it was essential for the British government to be kept informed.
He added: "Given the importance of the issues, I hope the investigation will report shortly. I would be most grateful for an indication of the time-scale of the investigation and the resources which will be dedicated to it. I would also be grateful if officials here could be kept informed of progress."
A Garda officer has been accused of collusion in connection with the killings of a senior judge, Lord Gibson, and his wife at Killeen, Co Down, in April 1987 as well as with the deaths of Mr Robert Hanna, his wife, Maureen, and son, David, in the same town in July 1988. The officer has also been implicated in the death of Mr Tom Oliver, a Catholic farmer, in July 1991.