Human rights campaigners have called on the government to make public a report into allegations of collusion by Northern Ireland's security services.

Amnesty International and other groups demanded on Tuesday that ministers release the report by Justice Peter Cory, a retired Canadian Supreme Court judge.

He has been investigating six killings on both sides of the Irish border including Belfast solicitor Patrick Finucane who was gunned down by loyalist paramilitaries.

The judge handed over his decisions to both the British and Irish government but officials announced there would be no publication until at least December.

It follows an investigation by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens found there was evidence between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries.

Officially the reason for the delay is that details contained in the judge's statements could compromise national security and future criminal trials.

But with fresh attempts underway between republicans and loyalists to find a way of hold elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly, negotiators believe any announcement would simply heighten political tensions at a crucial time.

But campaigners argued that there were no excuses for delays in publishing the report by Judge Cory because he had cleared it with security officials in both Britain and the Republic.

"The families in each of these cases had already waited years for the establishment of public inquiries and their distress should not now be compounded by further delay on the part of the two governments," said a spokesman for Amnesty.