The Evening Echo (online) 21 February 2006:
Slain
forestry worker's family accepts killers won't be caught
21/02/2006
- 3:41:15 PM
The family of a murdered Dundalk forestry worker have
given up hope of his killers ever being brought to justice, it emerged today.
Seamus Ludlow, 47, was abducted by loyalist paramilitaries in Co Louth and
shot dead on May 2, 1976, but gardaí never interviewed the suspects
identified by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) 18 months later.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice heard that the family now accepted
that a loyalist gang had carried the random sectarian murder but would never
be held responsible.
“We reluctantly must accept that the prospects of even bringing a
prosecution, let alone a successful one, are extremely remote,” said
barrister Eamon Coffey.
The four suspects named in Judge Henry Barron’s report into the killing were
arrested in the North in 1998, but the DPP there decided not to prosecute them
because of insufficient evidence.
But Mr Coffey said the family wanted a full public inquiry to discover why the
gardaí had never been given permission to travel across the border to
interview the suspects.
“Otherwise the Ludlow family and the wider public are left with the grounds
of believing that this state was an accessory after the fact in the murder of
Seamus Ludlow and being complicit in his murder,” he said.
The Justice committee, which was holding the final of its seven hearings into
Judge Henry Barron’s report on the murder, must consider whether to
recommend a full public inquiry in its report next month.
Mr Coffey said the Ludlow family had been steadfast in their pursuit of the
truth for 30 years, which has seen them endure two inquests into their
brother’s death, two Garda internal investigation and Judge Barron’s
report.
He said they were entitled to consistency from the Irish Government, which
supported campaigns for public inquiries into Bloody Sunday and the killing of
Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
The family want a speedy public inquiry to answer four key questions.
:: Was the initial Garda investigation in 1976 adequate?
:: Why was the information from the RUC on the four suspects not followed up?
:: Why was evidence at the scene not preserved?
:: Was the decision taken not to pursue the murder of Seamus Ludlow and if so,
who took it?
In his report, Judge Barron said it was most probable the decision not to
carry out the interviews with the Northern Ireland-based suspects was made by
former Garda Commissioner Laurence Wren, then head of the Garda C3 security
section.
The family are opposed to a Commission of Inquiry on the grounds that it would
carry out its investigation in private, would not make a determination of
facts and would not allow them to cross-examine witnesses.
“The family have a right to cross-examine those who consistently misled them
to the identity of the killers and in fact branded Seamus Ludlow an (IRA)
informer,” said their senior counsel Deirdre Murphy.
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Copyright © 2006 the Ludlow family. All rights reserved.
Revised: November 04, 2006 .