A prominent US committee has accused the British government of seeking to “delay and deter justice” by appealing a court ruling to set up a public inquiry into the murder of Co Derry GAA official Sean Brown.
The Westminster government lodged the challenge after it was found to be in breach of a human rights obligation to probe the full extent of state collusion in the May 1997 murder.
Mr Brown was attacked and beaten by a LVF gang as he locked the gates at Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC and later shot dead.
It emerged during an inquest hearing into his death last year that more than 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents.
Earlier this week it emerged an appeal against a court ruling that a public inquiry should be held will now be fast-tracked.
In a statement Washington DC based Ad-Hoc Committee to Protect the Good Friday Agreement co-chair Bruce Morrison accused the British government of “backsliding” on commitments to repeal and replace the controversial Legacy Act.
He added: “This is just the latest case of seeking to delay and deter the proper application of GFA Human Rights requirements to victims in Northern Ireland.
“The specter of state collusion followed by cover-up is as familiar as it is disturbing.”
The Northern Ireland Office previously said the “appeal will not delay the government’s determination to repeal and replace the Legacy Act”.
