Inquiry into Rosemary Nelson killing opens
The killing of Northern Ireland lawyer Rosemary Nelson is the subject of an independent inquiry which opens today in County Armagh.
Nobody has ever been charged for the murder of the 40-year-old, who died on 15 March 1999 after a bomb attached to her car exploded near her home in Lurgan.
The public inquiry into the circumstances of Ms Nelson’s death and any allegations of collusion comes on the recommendation of former Canadian supreme court judge Peter Corey, who looked into the case last year.
Now the inquiry, ordered by Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy last November, will be chaired by retired English high court judge Sir Michael Morland.
“The Rosemary Nelson inquiry seeks to find out the truth,” said Sir Michael, who will make the opening statement today.
“We are here to work with fairness, thoroughness and impartiality to establish the facts and to make recommendations.”
Former chairman of the board of Customs and Excise Dame Valerie Strachan and Sir Anthony Burden, former chief constable of South Wales police, make up the rest of the inquiry members.
It has been set up with the brief of “determining whether any wrongful act or omission by or within the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Northern Ireland office, army or other state agency facilitated her death or obstructed the investigation of it”.
If evidence of obstruction is found, the inquiry will decide “whether any such act or omission was intentional or negligent; whether the investigation of her death was carried out with due diligence; and to make recommendations”.
