The father of murdered Portadown loyalist Billy Wright has rejected the offer of a meeting with the North's Minister of State, Mr Adam Ingram, to discuss the circumstances of his son's killing in the Maze Prison in 1997.
Mr David Wright, who has made frequent calls for a public inquiry to be held into the circumstances of his son's killing, said he had received a letter from Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, offering the meeting with Mr Ingram. In Portadown yesterday, Mr Wright said the content of Dr Mowlam's letter was both "patronising and unacceptable". Dr Mowlam had simply repeated the contents of previous letters to him, "only this time in a different order". Mr Wright said he was no longer prepared to be "placated by the offer of a political minnow such as Adam Ingram".
"The growing controversy concerning my son's assassination is a very serious issue indeed. As such, it demands the attention of the British government's senior representative here. Quite simply that is Dr Mowlam, no one else. Why should I have to settle for second best at the Northern Ireland Office?
"It would appear that the British government are not concerned with the administration of justice regarding the murder of my son, public inquiries, it seems, are only granted on the grounds of political expediency, as is the current case with Bloody Sunday.
"Dr Mowlam does not want an inquiry into my son's assassination because the state were involved in it. The truth as to how and why my son had to die will destroy the political process here. However, that truth will be made public and very soon.
"As a result of my continued investigations into my son's death, I have obtained new evidence. That evidence will ensure that the key persons in prison management to whom I have constantly been denied access must be made available. They have serious questions to answer."
Mr Wright also criticised the Irish Government, saying he was "disappointed but not surprised" by the lack of response to his recent meeting with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.
"It is two months since I was at Iveagh House. To date I have had no formal response to the issues I raised," he said. "It would certainly appear their writ on the impartial application of justice does not extend to my section of the community. That has not gone unnoticed within the unionist community."
Mr Wright said he planned to take his campaign to the European Court of Human Rights.