A top British diplomat at the centre of a major police investigation into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane may face prosecution, it was revealed today.
Metropolitan Commissioner Sir John Stevens confirmed his inquiry team was preparing papers on Brigadier Gordon Kerr, the British Military Attaché in Beijing.
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Mr Kerr was questioned by Sir John's officers late last year in relation to his role as the head of a secret army intelligence unit at the time Mr Finucane was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association in February 1989.
As he appealed for paramilitary members to come forward in a bid to help his investigations, Sir John said: "Prosecution papers are being prepared in relation to Gordon Kerr".
The police chief also said papers on other police and army officers, both current and retired, will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The murder of Mr Finucane has been dogged by allegations that the loyalist gunmen colluded with the security forces in the North.
Brig Kerr headed the Force Research Unit, a shadowy wing of the intelligence services which handled loyalist agents such as Brian Nelson, the UDA man who passed on a photo of Mr Finucane to the killers.
At Nelson's trial, the army officer gave evidence on his behalf, claiming he had saved many lives through his work.
But now he could face the prospect of being prosecuted for his alleged role in colluding with loyalist terrorists.
Sir John pointed out the papers being prepared related to the general collusion claims rather than the Finucane murder specifically.
Up to 20 more files on security force personnel are also expected to be with the DPP by the end of March.
Even though Sir John first began his investigations into the murder more than a decade ago, he refused to set a date when he will present his latest findings. An interim report, however, will be sent to Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde in April.
"I do not intend to leave any stone unturned," Sir Jouhn vowed. "This approach has continued to identify fresh leads and uncovered information never previously disclosed.
"New people are still coming forward and talking to us. As of today I cannot give a firm indication of when my work will be finally completed, apart from saying that it will and must take as long as it takes".
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner was in Belfast to make a new appeal to loyalist paramilitaries on the day after the 14th anniversary of Mr Finucane's murder.
With the rival terror organisations involved in a bitter feud, Sir John urged any loyalists who have switched sides since the shooting to contact him.
"I want to appeal specifically to those persons involved in the UDA/UFF in 1988/89 and who have knowledge of those responsible for planning and committing the murder of Patrick Finucane," he said.
Mr Finucane's widow Geraldine described the development as a "headline" that would detract from the truth.
"Stevens is a delaying tactic, one of the many that is being used by the British government and really I think this latest information is another headline that will detract from the truth," she said.She was informed of the news as she and other members of the Finucane family left a meeting in Dublin with the Taoiseach.
Mrs Finucane said Mr Ahern was convinced an inquiry was the only way forward. "He reinforced his position of the fact that the only way to get to the truth of this matter was to have a public, judicial, independent inquiry," she said. PA