The Human Rights group set up in memory of assassinated human rights lawyer Pat Finucane has released to the media reports of a private conversation between the group and a former member of the Northern Ireland Police Authority.

The conversation shows that the RUC had prior knowledge of the murder attack on Pat Finucane and failed to take any measures to thwart the attack.

Mr Paul O'Connor, a representative of the Pat Finucane Centre in Derry, revealed the contents of a conversation he had with a member of the Police authority two years ago.

This conversation provides strong evidence of RUC collusion in the UFF murder of Pat Finucane.

Whilst the unnamed P.A. member claims that the then head of RUC special branch Brian Fitzsimmons had no prior knowledge of the murder attack, he then goes on to confirm that the RUC were informed a number of hours before the murder by British Army intelligence who were running UFF commander Brian Nelson as one of their agents.

Mr. O'Connor said he made an immediate note of the conversation and lodged it with the murdered lawyer's law firm.

He went on to say that the P.A. member then attempted to explain why the RUC could not act on information - he claimed that the RUC had difficulties in providing security cover on Sundays.

Mr. O'Connor concluded, "There is in fact considerable reason to believe that the RUC were well aware of the plot in advance but if we take the explanation offered by the former P.A. member at face value it still begs the question... Was a simple phone call to warn Mr. Finucane of the potential danger out of the question?"

The IRSP's justice spokesperson Paul Carson commenting, on the case, said, "Many within political and legal circles throughout the world are supporting the call for a full and independent inquiry into the UFF assassination of Pat Finucane. The IRSP echo those calls. This case also exposes the major weakness in the so-called Mitchell Principles of non-violence. These principles specifically left the role of British forces in Ireland out of the equation, meaning that the nationalist working class community have no means of redress against British military operations in the six counties."