A British agent at the centre of alleged security force collusion with loyalist paramilitary killers in Northern Ireland has died.
Brian Nelson, a former Ulster Defence Association head of information, recruited by military intelligence at the height of the Troubles, died on Friday from a brain haemorrhage.
He had suffered a heart attack two weeks ago and had also been diagnosed with cancer.
One of the targets for assassination that Nelson compiled a dossier on was Belfast solicitor Mr Pat Finucane, who was shot dead by UDA gunmen in February 1989.
Nelson's death came as British police commissioner Sir John Stevens prepares to publish a major new report on the killing and claims of RUC and British army conspiracy with loyalists.
Friends and security sources confirmed the ex-soldier, who was living at a secret location in England, suffered a heart attack two weeks ago.
"He then had a massive brain haemorrhage and that was it," one said.
Nelson had been handled by a shadowy British army agency known as the Force Research Unit (FRU) which was involved in gathering intelligence from loyalists.
The plan was to use him to prevent the UDA from murdering ordinary Catholics and concentrate on targeting known republicans.
But allegations persist that some warnings Nelson passed on to his handlers were ignored.
He insisted his security force bosses knew the UDA had asked him to compile information on Mr Finucane.
These claims are at the heart of Sir John's latest investigation into collusion claims.
A report into his findings is due to be given to Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde on Thursday.
Sinn Fein's spokesman on policing Mr Gerry Kelly said Nelson's death should not be used as an excuse to side-step persistent demands from the Finucane family and international human rights organisations for a public inquiry into the killing.
North Belfast Assembly member Mr Kelly said Nelson had taken crucial information to the grave and it was as important as ever for an inquiry to he held.
"He is the third person to die - two people have been shot dead and now Brian Nelson has died - who are directly connected to the death of Pat Finucane," he said.
"Now, 14 years later, we are still waiting on a public inquiry in to the death of Pat Finucane, and people sceptically will be asking what are they doing?
"Are they waiting on everyone connected to this terrible killing of a human rights lawyer to die before they will actually do anything about it?"
PA