Letter: Collusion in Ulster

Sir: David McKittrick's report of allegations of British security services collusion in Ulster murders (4 May) makes much speculative comment about the activities of the army agent Brian Nelson, who joined the Ulster Defence Association, the paramilitary organisation responsible for the murder of the Belfast solicitor Patrick Finucane.

The article fails to point out that Nelson twice saved the life of the Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams - on one occasion tipping off the security forces in order to prevent a magnetic mine being attached to Mr Adams's armoured car, and on the second occasion preventing a gun attack.

Those who would blacken the name of the RUC and the British Army can never explain why, if there was collusion between the security services and the various Protestant paramilitary organisations, so many UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando terrorists were apprehended and jailed by those self-same security services.

HARRY McCALLION

Chester