Peter Madden, Solicitor
On December 13th, 2001, The Irish Times published an article entitled "Stobie recruited by the RUC as an informer". The article referred to the late Mr Pat Finucane, who was murdered in 1989 by loyalist paramilitaries. Peter Madden and Pat Finucane founded the firm of Madden & Finucane solicitors in 1979. The circumstances of Mr Finucane's murder have given rise to serious concerns.
In the course of the article it was stated that Mr Finucane "was questioned by the RUC after eight IRA men escaped from Crumlin Road Prison". It was stated also that Mr Finucane "was the solicitor chosen by the IRA leadership to represent the interests of the IRA prisoners on hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1981". These untrue statements are retracted and The Irish Times apologises to Peter Madden and Pat Finucane's family for their publication.