Allison Morris
a.morris@irishnews.com
THE family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane said they were "sceptical" but would approach a review of his murder at the hands of loyalist gunmen with an "open mind".
Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine and her three children flew to London last night on the eve of a House of Commons address by British prime minister David Cameron on the February 1989 killing.
Barrister Sir Desmond de Silva was appointed in October last year to review the case and look at previously undisclosed evidence surrounding the murder.
His findings, which are to be published in two lengthy volumes, are said to be "hard-hitting."
Mrs Finucane and her children Michael, Katherine and John will be joined by the family's solicitor Peter Madden for a preview reading of Sir Desmond's findings.
The Finucane family will be present in the public gallery in the House of Commons as guests of SDLP MP Mark Durkan.
West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey will also be at Westminster.
Mrs Finucane walked out of a meeting with Mr Cameron last year when the family were told they would not be getting the independent public inquiry promised in 2004 by the then Labour government.
Instead a review team was set up headed by Sir Desmond and granted access to the unpublished findings of Lord Stevens as well as secret Home Office and Ministry of Defence files.
However, the terms of reference mean some sensitive intelligence crucial to the case has been redacted from the final published report.
"The process is flawed because there has been no family input, de Silva has had no powers for ordering people to speak to him or powers to demand the production of evidence," Pat Finucane's son John said yesterday.
"It is basically a review of a very secretive previous report and so we remain sceptical but will read the findings with an open mind." ■ INQUIRY DEMAND: From left, murdered solicitor Pat Finucane's widow Geraldine, family lawyer Peter Madden, Pat Finucane's son John and daughter Katherine stand outside 10 Downing Street in London on October 11 last year after British prime minister David Cameron said he was proposing a QC-led review rather than an independent public inquiry ■ SOLICITOR: Pat Finucane who was shot dead by loyalists at his north Belfast home in February 1989