Murder of Billy Wright: Billy Wright (37), leader of the paramilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), was shot dead in the Maze Prison on the morning of December 27th, 1997, by fellow inmates from the INLA.
English-born Wright, who was nicknamed "King Rat", was initially recruited into the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) but in July 1996 he clashed with the group's leadership over the Drumcree Orange Parade, and formed the LVF.
The UVF gave him a 72-hour ultimatum to leave Northern Ireland, but this threat was later lifted. In the spring of 1997, he was convicted of two offences and sentenced initially to Maghaberry prison where two INLA members, Christopher McWilliams and John Kennaway, orchestrated a hostage-taking incident designed to culminate in the murder of Wright.
The plot was foiled when Wright was transferred to the Maze on April 26th, 1997. A few days later, McWilliams and Kennaway were also transferred to the Maze, where along with a third INLA member, John Glennon, they conspired to murder the LVF leader.
In a 96-page report on the killing, Judge Cory said "there will be some who will wonder why there should be any concern with the death of Billy Wright", given the prisoner's violent history.
But "in a democracy, the innate dignity of the individual must be recognised" and "it is a fundamental duty of the state to provide protection for its citizens".
The judge referred to a number of "irregularities" on the day of the murder, including the fact that a security camera was not working and a watchtower was unmanned.
In addition, sometime before the murder, a hole had been cut in a security fence through which the INLA prisoners gained access to Wright as he was being led into a prison van.
He said the transfer of Wright to the Maze was "the most significant act taken by the state authorities" as the LVF leader had been placed "in an extremely dangerous position.
"He became a vulnerable target, readily accessible to those who wished to kill him. Prison authorities were aware of both the lack of control and the serious security problems in the Maze.
"In particular, they knew of the ease with which prisoners could gain access to the roofs of the H Blocks. They were aware of the fierce hostility that existed between INLA and the LVF.
"In light of that knowledge, a public inquiry might well conclude that prison authorities turned a blind eye to the very real and imminent dangers that they knew or should have known would arise from a transfer of Billy Wright and LVF prisoners to the same H Block occupied by INLA prisoners.
"In light of their knowledge the transfer of Billy Wright could be found to be a wrongful act that was capable of constituting collusion I venture to say that, in most common law jurisdictions, the action would be considered to be at least negligent and would very likely constitute wilful negligence."
Other actions requiring investigation included "the apparent turning of a blind eye to the warnings of officers regarding dangers of housing INLA and LVF factions in the same H Block"; the threats from the INLA to murder Billy Wright; "the failure to take any steps to protect Billy Wright, either by moving the LVF or by improving security in H Block 6"; and the position of vans in the forecourt where Wright was murdered.
"One or two of the incidents that occurred on the day of the murder may, in themselves, have little significance.
"On the other hand, when they are all considered together the resulting effect may be sufficient to take them out of the realm of coincidence and make them components of a plan to murder Billy Wright that was collusive in nature."