Sir, - I am writing on behalf of a group of Mercy Sisters. We wish to express our outrage at the brutal murder of Rosemary Nelson. Furthermore we wish to express our concern about the inquiry that is to be held into Rosemary's murder. The appointment of Mr Phillips and the assistance of the FBI, we feel, does not go far enough in ensuring that the enquiry would be fully independent.
Like many Human Rights Groups we believe that the RUC must be excluded from any involvement in the enquiry if it is to be totally transparent. This is so given the alleged death threats made against Rosemary by the RUC to some of her clients and given Rosemary's own complaints of continual harassment by the RUC.
Rosemary's murder, it has been said, struck at the very heart of the justice system in the North of Ireland. If justice is to be done in this case then a full and independent enquiry must be carried out. - Yours, etc.,
Sheila McCarron, Mabel Marron, Aine Campbell, Oonagh Campbell, Nuala O'Connor, Rosemary Kelly, Philomena Finnegan, Anne Murphy, Newry, Co Down.