Police release leading loyalist

A senior loyalist, Mr William Courtney, has been released after being questioned in connection with the killing of the Belfast…

A senior loyalist, Mr William Courtney, has been released after being questioned in connection with the killing of the Belfast solicitor, Mr Pat Finucane, in 1989.

Mr Courtney had been arrested at his Glencairn home in north Belfast on Wednesday morning but was released later that night after being questioned at Lisburn police station by officers from the Stevens inquiry team.

Mr Courtney is believed to be a member of the Ulster Defence Association's so-called inner council.

Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries outside his north Belfast home amidst claims of security force collusion. An inquiry into his death is headed by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens.

Meanwhile, another loyalist, Mr Ken Barrett, who was moved out of Northern Ireland to a safe location in Britain by the Stevens team, has said in a statement that he would be refusing to give evidence against anyone. He, too, had been questioned in connection of Mr Finucane's killing but released without charge.

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