Stobie murder claimed by Red Hand Defenders

Former loyalist police agent William Stobie, who had been recently been acquitted of charges brought against him over the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, has been shot dead in north Belfast.

The Red Hand Defenders, a cover name which has been used in the past for the UDA and UFF, has claimed responsibility for his murder.

The attack happened outside a block of flats on the Forthriver Road, in north Belfast at about 6.15am on Wednesday December 12.

It is understood Mr Stobie was shot at least five times at close range as he walked from his home to his car. He died at the scene. Mr Stobie’s partner, who was at home when gunmen attacked on Wednesday morning, is said to be very upset.

The charges against Mr Stobie who had been accused of aiding and abetting in the murder of Pat Finucane, a high profile Catholic lawyer, were dismissed last month through lack of evidence.

After he left court, Mr Stobie said he believed there deserved to be a public inquiry into Mr Finucane’s death. This is thought to have deeply aggravated loyalist paramilitaries and perhaps prompted the killing.

Mr Finucane was shot 14 times in front of his wife and four children in north Belfast in 1989. Loyalist paramilitaries at the time claimed responsibility for his death.

An investigation headed by Metropolitan chief Sir John Stevens was set up to investigate Mr Finucane’s death and wider allegations of RUC collusion. At the heart of the investigation is the role of the British Army’s Force Research Unit (FRU) which handled agents and gathered intelligence from loyalist paramilitaries. The Stevens team later charged Mr Stobie a former RUC Special Branch agent, in connection with the killing.

Mr Stobie, a self-confessed former UDA quartermaster, admitted having supplied the weapon used in the killing, but denied knowing the name of the target and insisted he alerted his handlers that a shooting was imminent.

The Assistant Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Alan McQuillan, condemned the killing as “another dreadful murder in the run-up to Christmas.”

Police confirmed later on Wednesday that officers warned Mr Stobie about his personal security on December 2. It is believed the threat had come from loyalist paramilitaries.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday, the family of Mr Finucane expressed shock at Mr Stobie’s killing.

They said: “The family did not want him murdered nor did they even want him prosecuted. All they wanted was the truth. There have been too many murders and too many grieving relatives.

“If a public inquiry had been established into Pat’s murder instead of the Stevens police investigation, Billy Stobie could have been granted anonymity and his identity unknown and he would probably still be alive today.” (AMcE)