Hi °C | Lo °C Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has been warned that details of a plot to kill him will be revealed in a forthcoming report into the murder of Pat Finucane.
Mr Finucane, a solicitor who represented many republican clients, was murdered by the UDA in February 1989.
An investigation has already established that the security forces colluded in his murder.
Ken Barrett, the man who shot Finucane dead in front of his family, was an army agent.
William Stobie, a police informant, supplied the gun and Brian Nelson, a UDA intelligence officer who secretly worked for British Military intelligence, handled Mr Finucane’s details.
Next Thursday, a report by Sir Desmond de Silva QC is expected to cast further light on the case.
Sir Desmond has said that he will release previously classified documents.
Yesterday, Mr Adams said the de Silva Committee had written to him saying: “Whilst the focus of my report is Patrick Finucane’s murder, it was appropriate for me to examine it in its proper context.
“Among the surrounding key issues is the role that was played by the British Army agent, Brian Nelson. Accordingly, I wanted you to be aware prior to publication that my report touches on the plot by loyalist paramilitaries to attack you in May 1987.”
This may refer to an incident shortly after Mr Nelson was recruited by the Force Research Unit, an arm of British Military intelligence in 1987.
Journalist Peter Taylor records in his book ‘Brits’ that Mr Nelson told his handler ‘Geoff’ that the UDA had a Libyan-made limpet mine with which they intended to murder Mr Adams.
As a result, the loyalists named by Mr Nelson were placed under surveillance and the mine seized.
The plot to kill Mr Adams was then aborted because he was travelling in an armoured vehicle which the loyalists could see no other safe way of attacking.
In a 1984 loyalist gun attack, Mr Adams was hit in the neck, shoulder and arm as gunmen riddled his car with about 20 bullets.
Miraculously, he and all the other passengers survived.
Three suspected gunmen were immediately arrested at the time by undercover soldiers.
