The Argus (Dundalk), 5 April 2006:

Final report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the murder of Seamus Ludlow

Former detective said they kept an open mind

Murder victim Seamus Ludlow: Gardai told the Oireachtas Sub-Committee they kept an open mind, but they were still telling the Ludlow family more than 20 years after the murder that he was killed by the IRA as an informer. The Ludlow family saw no open mind from day one! Former Detective Inspector Courtney stated that in respect of 1976: "We had an open mind on the investigation. We investigated it from all angles, keeping in mind that it could have been an ordinary domestic murder, a Provisional IRA or UDA murder. We had no definite suspects or line of inquiry".

He added: "I visited the family at least twice in the course of the investigation and at the early stages. I spoke to them and told them that we were doing our best. I got on well with them and they did not make any complaints to me at any stage when I was in the house. I said we were doing our best to try to find the persons involved.

Former Detective Sergeant Corrigan was asked if he had ever been aware that the Gardai were suggesting that the IRA had been involved in the murder. He answered that there was gossip in all investigations and that he had not heard any rumours. When asked whether it was reasonable that the most active terrorist organisation in the area at the time would have been suspected in any murder he stated that they would be in any category of suspects and that in a murder investigation one must keep an open mind until persons or organisations are eliminated. He agreed that it was logical for the Gardai to think that IRA members were suspects since Seamus Ludlow might have accidentally stumbled across some sensitive IRA information.

Mr Brendan McGahon, the former Louth TD, who appears to have no knowledge of previous loyalist bombings and shootings south of the Irish border. He was another who believed that this was an IRA killing. Mr Brendan McGahon, a former Fine Gael TD for Louth, expressed his desire that the people who took Seamus' life would be extradited and made to pay the penalty for taking his life. He stated that: "When Seamus was killed and his body was found lying on the roadside a couple of hundred yards from his home, it was reasonable to assume that the IRA had done it because the IRA was the only firm in the business of slaughter or murder in the Border area at that time. The UVF and other loyalist terror groups did not come across the Border, with the possible exception of the bombing in Dundalk which took the lives of two Dundalk people. It was a normal assumption to make, both on my part and, indeed, on the part of the Garda which, I understand, believed it was the IRA. In my opinion, there was no ther rational view that could have contrasted with that belief.

"I understand that in the interview with Mr Pat Kenny I said I was told by a member of the Garda. I obviously was, but for the life of me, I cannot remember.

"I was wrong in blaming that organisation in this case but as to who told me, I honestly do not know. If it was to save my own life, I could not name a person".

I Top I