One of Northern Ireland’s most prominent victims’ campaigners has secured a US congressional hearing into his son’s murder.

The hearing next month at the House Subcommittee on International Organisations, Human Rights and Oversight will examine the 1997 killing of 22-year-old Belfast man Raymond McCord.

His father Raymond snr has long campaigned to expose police informers at the heart of the UVF gang that committed the murder.

Central allegations in the case were vindicated by an explosive report in 2007 by Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan.

Mr McCord last night warmly welcomed the congressional hearing news. He paid tribute to Fr Sean McManus of the US-based Irish National Caucus, who took him to Capitol Hill earlier this year to lobby for his son’s cause.

Mr McCord said he was a Protestant and a unionist, but had been ignored by churches and the state, and let down by unionist politicians.

“Fortunately for my family a stranger, who happened to be a Roman Catholic priest, decided to help,” he added.

“My family and I will be eternally grateful to Sean, as I call him, and to the U S Congress and Irish-Americans. I only hope I have done my son proud.”

Fr McManus said: “I know how much this hearing will mean for the McCord family and so I am really pleased for them.”