VICTIMS groups that support relatives of people killed by the state during the Troubles have said they will not support British government plans to deal with the past.
Relatives for Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre spoke out after draft legislation linked to the Stormont House Agreement was leaked this week.
Concerns were raised earlier this month by the Committee on the Administration of Justice over plans by the British government to "veto" information in reports by a new body investigating Troubles killings.
Under the agreement a Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) is expected to be set up to replace the now defunct police Historical Enquiries Team and take over some of the work carried out by the Police Ombudsman.
It will investigate unsolved killings and provide reports to families.
There are also plans to establish an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval for victims and an Oral History Archive.
Concerns have been raised previously about the independence of the planned HIU and some campaigners are worried that former police officers may be employed by it.
Concerns have also been raised over plans by the British government to control what information is published through HIU reports on national security grounds.
Relatives for Justice director Mark Thompson said his organisation would not back any organisation created by the legislation.
"The legislation in no way, shape or form represents the SHA (Stormont House Agreement) document published last December.," he said.
"It is a self-serving piece of legislation crafted by the British government that is essentially written through the lens of national security."
Paul O’Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre also said his organisation could not support draft legislation.
"The legislation, as we have seen it to date, amounts to an act of bad faith by London.
"It bears little resemblance to the proposals outlined in the SHA," he said.
"There are major concerns regarding the criteria for cases to be re-examined, so-called national security caveats and other concerns too numerous to outline."
Sinn Féin assembly member Gerry Kelly has also claimed that the British government’s proposals were "unacceptable" and a "clear breach of the Stormont House Agreement."
