IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 734 
Calling on the Government of the United Kingdom to immediately establish 
a full, independent, public judicial inquiry into the murder of Northern 
Ireland defense attorney Pat Finucane, as recommended by international 
Judge Peter Cory as part of the Weston Park agreement and a way 
forward for the Northern Ireland Peace Process. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2006 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. NEAL 
of Massachusetts, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. CROW-
LEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. SWEENEY, Mr. WALSH, Mr. 
MCNULTY, and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Calling on the Government of the United Kingdom to imme-
diately establish a full, independent, public judicial in-
quiry into the murder of Northern Ireland defense attor-
ney Pat Finucane, as recommended by international 
Judge Peter Cory as part of the Weston Park agreement 
and a way forward for the Northern Ireland Peace Proc-
ess. 
Whereas human rights defense attorney and solicitor Patrick 
Finucane was brutally murdered in front of his wife and 
children at his home in Belfast on February 12, 1989; 
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•HRES 734 IH 
Whereas numerous international bodies and non govern-
mental human rights organizations have made note of se-
rious 
allegations 
of 
collusion 
between 
loyalist 
paramilitaries and British security forces in the murder 
of Mr. Finucane; 
Whereas in July, 2001, the Irish and British Governments 
made new commitments in the Weston Park Agreement 
to hold public inquiries into high profile murders if so 
recommended by the Honorable Judge Peter Cory, with 
it being clearly understood that such an inquiry would be 
held under the United Kingdom Tribunals of Inquiry 
(Evidence) Act 1921; 
Whereas Judge Cory found sufficient evidence of collusion to 
warrant a public inquiry into the murder of Patrick 
Finucane and recommended that such an inquiry take 
place without delay; 
Whereas in his conclusions, Judge Cory set out the necessity 
and importance of a public inquiry into the Finucane 
case and that the failure to hold a public inquiry as 
quickly as reasonably possible could be seen as a denial 
of the agreement at Weston Park; 
Whereas on May 6, 2004, Judge Cory testified in Congress 
before the United States Helsinki Commission and pre-
sented his report which is replete with evidence of pos-
sible collusion relating to activities of the army intel-
ligence unit and the RUC in the Finucane case; 
Whereas the United Kingdom adopted new legislation after 
the public release of the Cory Report, the United King-
dom Inquiries Act 2005, which severely limits the proce-
dures of a independent inquiry and which has been re-
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•HRES 734 IH 
jected as inadequate by Judge Cory, the Finucane family, 
the Irish Government and human rights groups; 
Whereas on March 15, 2005, Judge Cory submitted written 
testimony to the House International Relations com-
mittee stating that the new legislation is ‘‘unfortunate to 
say the least’’ and ‘‘would make a meaningful inquiry im-
possible’’; 
Whereas Judge Cory’s written statement also stated that his 
recommendation for a public inquiry into the Finucane 
case ‘‘contemplated a true public inquiry constituted and 
acting pursuant to the provisions of the 1921 Act ’’ and 
not the new 2005 Inquiries Act; and 
Whereas the House of Representatives and Congress have 
passed legislation supporting the establishment of an 
independent, judicial inquiry into the murder of Patrick 
Finucane and deeply regrets the British Government’s 
failure to honor its commitment to implement Judge 
Cory’s recommendation in full: Now therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) commends Finucane family members—in-
cluding wife Geraldine and son Michael who have 
testified before Congress—for their courageous cam-
paign to seek the truth in this case of collusion; 
(2) welcomes the passage of a resolution by the 
Dail Eireann on March 8, 2006, calling for the es-
tablishment of a full, independent, public judicial in-
quiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane as the 
Irish Government’s most recent expression of sup-
port for the Finucane family; 
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