Police are to carry out a new investigation into a sectarian murder 16 years ago following claims by loyalist killer Michael Stone that security forces colluded in the killing.
The fresh inquiry was announced in the High Court in Belfast today during an action brought by the widow of Dermott Hackett (37) who was shot by loyalists near Omagh in 1987.
Mrs Sylvia Hackett, from Belldoo, Strabane, was granted leave to apply for a judicial review of the failure or refusal of the Secretary of State to carry out a thorough and effective investigation into her husband's murder.
Michael Stone claimed in his book, None Shall Divide Us, that he became involved in a conspiracy to murder Mr Hackett after seeing intelligence in security forces files.
Stone claimed he subsequently pulled out of the assassination even though he was convicted of the murder.