The Stevens Inquiries were three official British government inquiries led by Sir John Stevens concerning collusion in Northern Ireland between loyalist paramilitaries and the state security forces . While Stevens declared in 1990 that collusion was "neither wide-spread nor institutionalised", by April 2003 he acknowledged that he had uncovered collusion at a level "way beyond" his 1990 view. Much of Stevens' evidence was obtained from advanced fingerprint techniques to link people to documents. By 2005 the team had identified 2,000 people from their prints with a further 1,015 sets of prints outstanding.
32-744: In September 1989 RUC chief constable, Sir Hugh Annesley , ordered the initial enquiry about the circumstances following the August 1989 death of Loughlin Maginn. Maginn, a 28-year-old Catholic , was shot by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) at his home in Lissize, near Rathfriland . Although Maginn had no paramilitary connections, the UDA claimed he was a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) intelligence officer . In an attempt to prove
64-517: A level "way beyond" what Sir John Stevens had originally reported. Stobie was a native of loyalist west Belfast who joined the UDA for the first time around the time of its foundation in 1971. After a short spell, he left and joined the British Army , serving outside Northern Ireland . Returning to Belfast when his time in the army ended, he rejoined the UDA and served the organisation as an armourer . Stobie had initially applied to join
96-553: A result of an appeal by Gordon Wilson , father of one of the victims. The exception to this was when Adam Lambert was mistakenly targeted and shot the following day at a building site in Highfield , Belfast. He was a 19-year-old Protestant student with no criminal record or paramilitary links but was assumed to have been a Catholic . At the Stevens Enquiry ("Overview & Recommendations"), Stobie admitted supplying
128-610: The Police Staff College, Bramshill , before transferring to Sussex Police as Assistant Chief Constable (Personnel & Operations) in 1976. He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1980 and the following year returned to the Metropolitan Police as Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Central & North West London). In 1983 he became Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Personnel) and in 1984
160-830: The Royal Ulster Constabulary from June 1989 to November 1996. Annesley was born in Dublin and educated at St Andrew's Preparatory School and the Avoca School where he played for the field hockey team. He joined the Metropolitan Police in London as a constable in 1958. Rising through the ranks to chief superintendent in 1974, he attended the Special Course (1963), Intermediate Command Course (1971) and Senior Command Course (1975) at
192-590: The Shankill when their offices were raided by the police and the owners questioned about a taxi that had been ordered to the Glencairn estate. This car had been hijacked by the UVF and used in an abortive operation. West Belfast brigadier Johnny Adair was told by a friend that Stobie had told the police about the incident, and it was decided that he would be shot as an informer. On the evening of 21 May 1992, Stobie
224-710: The Ulster Volunteer Force but was rejected by that organisation, which feared that he might be a government agent due to his time in the army, and instead rejoined the UDA, where he joined A Company of the UDA West Belfast Brigade in Highfield . On 8 November 1987, the IRA detonated a powerful bomb at the Enniskillen Remembrance Sunday ceremony killing eleven. There was no immediate direct reprisal, partially as
256-512: The telephone lines had been cut. They made an attempt to tackle the fire but found that there was no water in the fire protection system. In April 1999, as part of the Enquiry, William Stobie was arrested and charged with the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane . In June that year, as agreed, journalist Ed Moloney published Stobie's version of the circumstances of Finucane's death. The "Stevens Enquiry 3", Overview & Recommendations, report
288-665: The British media. He also claimed that when he enquired with the British military authorities on whether or not a dedicated Intelligence Corps unit operated in Northern Ireland, he was told that there were no such units currently operating there. Stevens later discovered that the Force Research Unit (FRU) was indeed operating in Northern Ireland when senior RUC officers blamed the unit for an arson attack at his Inquiry headquarters. Following their discovery of
320-534: The Finucane family's demand for a public inquiry , he effectively made himself a target for his former UDA comrades. On 12 December 2001, Stobie was shot dead outside his home at Forthriver Road, Glencairn, Belfast . The Red Hand Defenders (RHD) claimed responsibility. Stobie's killers, who shot him five times, actually belonged to the UDA and were using the Red Hand Defenders as a cover name. In
352-599: The Minister was compromised. 2.18 A further aspect of my Enquiry was how the RUC dealt with threat intelligence. This included examination and analysis of RUC records to determine whether both sides of the community were dealt with in equal measure. They were not. Loyalist "Twister" Billy McQuiston revealed to journalist Peter Taylor that he and his comrades believed the Stevens Inquiry and the arrest of Brian Nelson did
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#1732772297518384-435: The UDA a favour, declaring "The Stevens inquiry got rid of all the old guard within the UDA and fresher men took over". In its aftermath, Loyalists began out-killing the IRA for the first time in decades, leading up to the eventual ceasefires and Good Friday Agreement . Sir Hugh Annesley Sir Hugh Norman Annesley QPM (born 22 June 1939) is a retired Irish/British police officer. He served as Chief Constable of
416-410: The accuracy of their targeting, the UDA published security force documents and a video of police intelligence. (It was later found that the video had been provided by sympathetic soldiers using equipment supplied by UDA double agent Brian Nelson ). Stevens would later claim in a book he wrote that from the investigation's outset there was a concerted campaign to discredit the inquiries among elements of
448-521: The attack despite his injuries. According to Henry McDonald and Jim Cusack, Stobie provided the gun used to kill Pat Finucane , and they further claimed that once he gave the weapon to the hit team, he called the RUC to let them know that a killing was about to take place. In April 1999, as part of the Stevens Enquiry, Stobie was arrested and charged with Finucane's murder. In June that year, journalist Ed Moloney published Stobie's version of
480-573: The cause of the IRA’. Mr Hogg repeated this view during a debate on the Prevention of Terrorism legislation in the House of Commons. Within a few weeks Patrick Finucane was murdered. Mr Hogg’s comments about solicitors’ support for terrorism made on 17 January 1989 aroused controversy. To the extent that they were based on information passed by the RUC, they were not justifiable and the Enquiry concludes that
512-482: The circumstances of Finucane's death. The charges were later commuted to aiding and abetting the murder. Stobie's trial eventually collapsed because of the failure of Neil Mulholland, by now Northern Ireland Office Press Officer, to take the witness stand. In 2001, Stobie let it be known that he would be willing to testify at an inquiry into Finucane's killing, stating that he would not name loyalists but would name their RUC "handlers". By declaring that he supported
544-401: The early arrest and detection of his killers. 4.7 I conclude there was collusion in both murders and the circumstances surrounding them. Collusion is evidenced in many ways. This ranges from the willful failure to keep records, the absence of accountability, the withholding of intelligence and evidence, through to the extreme of agents being involved in murder. 4.8 The failure to keep records or
576-402: The existence of contradictory accounts can often be perceived as evidence of concealment or malpractice. It limits the opportunity to rebut serious allegations. The absence of accountability allows the acts or omissions of individuals to go undetected. The withholding of information impedes the prevention of crime and the arrest of suspects. The unlawful involvement of agents in murder implies that
608-485: The guns for the attack and driving Stephen Harbinson in the getaway car. Both Stobie and Harbinson stated they were sickened by the mistake and for the first time Stobie realised that the UDA was unprofessional. Harbinson was also arrested, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Following his release under the Good Friday Agreement , he skipped bail on drug dealing charges in Northern Ireland. He
640-409: The operation for 24 hours. In the meantime, Nelson escaped to England . That night there was a fire at the team's incident room within the 17-acre (69,000 m) secure complex at Sea Park, the RUC's Carrickfergus Headquarters. The main team had left at 9pm but four members unexpectedly returned 25 minutes later to find the room alight. Neither the smoke alarm nor the heat sensors had gone off and
672-480: The post until his retirement in 1996. Annesley was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the 1986 New Year Honours and was knighted in the 1992 New Year Honours . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Brian Adam Lambert William "Billy" Stobie (1950 – 12 December 2001) was an Ulster Defence Association (UDA) quartermaster and RUC Special Branch informer who
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#1732772297518704-406: The security forces sanction killings. 4.9 My three Enquiries have found all these elements of collusion to be present. The co-ordination, dissemination and sharing of intelligence were poor. Informants and agents were allowed to operate without effective control and to participate in terrorist crimes. Nationalists were known to be targeted but were not properly warned or protected. Crucial information
736-474: The team persevered and gathered enough fresh evidence to plan a secret operation to arrest Nelson on Monday 10 January 1990. Stevens went home the weekend before the planned arrest. As he returned to Belfast on the Sunday afternoon, there were two journalists on the plane; they informed him that they had been sent over to cover the raids. It was obvious that there had been a leak, and it was decided to postpone
768-593: The then-unknown Brian Nelson 's fingerprints on security documents, the Inquiry team encountered a wall of silence as they tried to investigate further: Brian Fitzsimmons, Acting Head of the RUC's Special Branch , became evasive, telling Stevens: We can't help you with this man; and, at the Grosvenor Road station, Nelson's card in the intelligence card system was initially whipped away from the investigators. However,
800-399: Was a clear breach of security before the planned arrest of Brian Nelson and other senior loyalists. Information was leaked to the loyalist paramilitaries and the press. This resulted in the operation being aborted. Nelson was advised by his FRU handlers to leave home the night before. A new date was set for the operation on account of the leak. The night before the new operation my Incident room
832-421: Was called to the house of Jackie Thompson on Snugville Street where a party was being held with Adair and fellow UDA members Donald Hodgen , Tommy Potts, and others in attendance. Stobie did not attend so Thompson and Hodgen drove up to his house and dragged him out. They took him to an alleyway where Adair was waiting and, after a struggle, the fleeing Stobie was shot five times in the back and legs. He survived
864-404: Was destroyed by fire. This incident, in my opinion, has never been adequately investigated and I believe it was a deliberate act of arson. Stevens concluded: 4.6 I have uncovered enough evidence to lead me to believe that the murders of Patrick Finucane and Brian Adam Lambert could have been prevented. I also believe that the RUC investigation of Patrick Finucane's murder should have resulted in
896-739: Was director of the Force Re-organisation Team. Under the new organisational structure, in April 1985 he was appointed Assistant Commissioner Personnel and Training (ACPT) and in 1987 became Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations (ACSO). In 1986 he had graduated from the FBI National Executive Institute in the United States. In 1989 he took up command of the RUC, despite the post being widely expected to go to Geoffrey Dear , and held
928-541: Was involved in the shootings of student Adam Lambert in 1987 and solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989. His 1990 admissions to journalist Neil Mulholland provided new information which led, in February 1999, to British Irish Rights Watch submitting a confidential report to the British Government . This in turn would lead to the reopening of the Stevens Enquiry , which uncovered state/ paramilitary collusion at
960-571: Was rearrested on the Costa del Sol on separate charges of drug trafficking , kidnapping , and arms possession. Once more he was given bail and disappeared. Stobie's informing did not go unnoticed and in May 1992 he narrowly avoided being killed by other members of the West Belfast Brigade who suspected he was a "tout". At the time Stobie was operating the switchboard at Circle Taxis on
992-712: Was released on 17 April 2003. The report found that members of the security forces in Northern Ireland colluded with the UDA during the paramilitary's killing of Catholic civilians in the 1970s and 1980s, including the solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989. The security forces units accused of colluding with the UDA included the FRU and the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch. Stevens required three police inquiries, during which time his offices within RUC headquarters suffered an arson attack. Stevens noted, under "Obstruction of my Enquiries": There
Stevens Inquiries - Misplaced Pages Continue
1024-625: Was withheld from Senior Investigating Officers. Important evidence was neither exploited nor preserved. Under "Other Matters concerning Collusion", Stevens noted: 2.17 My Enquiry team also investigated an allegation that senior RUC officers briefed the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Rt Hon Douglas Hogg QC, MP, that ‘some solicitors were unduly sympathetic to
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