Summary
An unresolved murder in Belfast from 1994 involving loyalist paramilitaries is at the center of a legal battle over the release of secret information. The family of the victim, Paul Thompson, believes state agents may have been involved in the killing, and they are fighting a policy that restricts the release of national security information. The case reached the UK Supreme Court to determine who has the authority to decide what information can remain secret.
Key Facts
- In April 1994, Paul Thompson was shot and killed by loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast.
- The group responsible was the Ulster Defence Association, using the name Ulster Freedom Fighters.
- A hole in a boundary called the 'Peace Line' allowed the attackers to escape.
- An inquest into the murder started in 1995 but never concluded, and no one has been arrested.
- The family suspects collusion between British security forces and the killers.
- In 2024, a coroner decided to release a summary of secret information about the case to the family.
- The British government and MI5 opposed this release, claiming national security concerns.
- The case went to the UK Supreme Court to decide on the power to release such information.
