The Irish News
Maeve Connolly
The families of victims of a north Belfast UVF gang protected by Special Branch have described as a "sinister development" the PSNI decision to take over an investigation into police and loyalist paramilitary collusion.
The Historical Enquiries Team (HET) informed the families yesterday that Operation Ballast - the largest inquiry into police and loyalist collusion - was being taken out of its hands and passed to the PSNI's Serious Crime Branch.
Last night the families demanded answers from Chief Constable Matt Baggott and said they believed the PSNI had taken the step because the HET investigation was "far too damaging" to the force.
Speaking on behalf of a number of families Paul McKenna, whose sister Sharon was murdered by the Mount Vernon UVF in 1993, said the HET had been muzzled because it was "getting too close".
"(The PSNI) don't want them unearthing things that will blacken the name of the RUC and getting close to (Special Branch) handlers," Mr McKenna said.
"We want the handlers and the branch operatives as much as the murderers themselves. We feel HET was getting to that stage and that's why they're being axed and it's been doctored up as a financial decision."
Mr McKenna said former RUC officers could now be involved in the investigation "and we have no faith in them all".
The investigation into collusion began after a damning report from former police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan revealed that Special Branch handlers had protected Mount Vernon UVF leader and informer Mark Haddock from prosecution.
Baroness O'Loan said Haddock was a "protected species" despite being implicated in 16 murders, 10 attempted murders, 23 paramilitary-style shootings and beatings, extortion, arson and intimidation between 1991 and 2003.
The former ombudsman also complained that a number of senior officers, including three former Special Branch chiefs, had refused to cooperate with her investigation while some of those who did gave "evasive, contradictory and, on occasion, farcical answers".
The HET is a specialist police unit set up to probe unsolved killings from the Troubles.
Operation Ballast is one of its investigations and to date 12 people, including Haddock, have been charged.
The north Belfast man is serving a 10-year prison sentence for attacking a doorman.
Haddock has also been charged with the murders of UDA leader Tommy English and William John Harbinson and attempting to murder Keith Caskey.
Baroness O'Loan investigated the collusion claims on the back of a complaint by Raymond McCord whose son, Raymond jnr, was murdered by the UVF in 1997.
Last night Mr McCord said he had "no confidence in policing here".
Mr McCord said the HET "have done more in almost 18 months than the PSNI did in 10 and a half years and now it's being given back to the force that couldn't do anything".
"This is about protection for the police officers," he said.
The solicitor for some of the families said the move could undermine confidence in the investigation.
"The litmus test for this investigation was when the handlers would be held to account for their actions," Paddy Murray said.
"The families are deeply concerned that this development will obstruct any chance of that.
"The families have always wanted a thorough investigation and whilst they had reservations about the independence of the HET this is a further retrograde step and has the ability to undermine the families' and the wider public confidence in this investigation."
Last night the PSNI confirmed that the Serious Crime Branch was taking over because it is "now the most appropriate mechanism to continue this important piece of work".
A spokesman said the policing board and Police Ombudsman's Office had been made aware of the development and families and relevant interest groups were in the process of being informed.
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