According to reports, a preliminary hearing of the public enquiry into the murder of Belfast lawyer Pat Finucane began Wednesday and is expected to resume in September. Reportedly, in 1989 members of the Ulster defence regiment burst into his home while he was eating dinner with his wife and children and shot him 14 times, killing him.
Reportedly, Mr Finucane studied law at Trinity college Dublin and wanted to help the marginalised. According to reports, he became known for challenging the british government on behalf of imprisoned hunger strikers who were convicted of various paramilitary related offences, and for his involvement in cases entailling the shooting of civillians by security forces.
Reportedly, several previous examinations of the case found there was state collusion, and in December 2012 the then serving british prime minister apologised, but no further action was taken. According to reports, one person was convicted of the murder, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 22 years in prison but was released after less than 3 years.
According to a report, the ulster defence regiment is a loyalist paramilitary organisation who’s stated aim was to defend loyalist areas and combat republicanism. Reportedly, in 1992 the udr amalgamated with the royal Irish rangers. According to reports, modern paramilitary groups are now entrenched in the drug trade. Reportedly, the south of Ireland is facing a drug crisis and drugs such as heroine, cocaine and crack cocaine are weaponised as tools for political power and control. According to some, drugs are transported from the north to southern Ireland and the south of Ireland is facing a drug crisis of unprecedented levels.