The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?
The Murder of Seamus Ludlow in County Louth, May 1976. Towards a public inquiry?
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Introduction to the murder of Seamus Ludlow and the official cover-up. Michael Cunningham investigation - 1978 The recent Campaign for Truth and Justice. Irish Victims Commission Report. Ludlow family's questions for the RUC (now the PSNI). Jim J. Kane's letter to the N I Human Rights Commission. Jim J. Kane's letter to the RUC Ludlow Family Letter to Bertie Ahern View messages from our original Guestbook Other Ludlow Family Sites.
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The Irish News, 13 March 1999, Minister's pledge of justice in 1976 case Reassurances to relatives of murder victim By Aeneas Bonner The family of Seamus Ludlow, who was found murdered in Co Louth in 1976, yesterday received assurances from Minister of State Adam Ingram that "every effort is being made" to bring the killers to justice. The news comes as the family steps up its campaign for a public inquiry into the murder, and follows a public meeting held in Dundalk town hall two weeks ago. Mr Ludlow, a 47-yeasr-old forestry worker, was abducted on the Newry Road outside Dundalk in May 1976, shot three times and dumped near the border at Culfore, Co Louth, within half a mile of his home. Michael Donegan, a nephew, of the murdered man, said yesterday that initial Garda claims that his uncle was an informer were quickly denied by the IRA. It was not until 20 years later that the family received fresh information about the murder, including the names of four loyalists who were allegedly responsible. Mr Donegan said a public inquiry was now necessary to fully investigate allegations of a 23-year "cover-up" by security forces on both sides of the border. No-one has ever been brought to justice, although police files are now with the Director of Public Prosecutions in what Mr Donegan called the "first positive step" in almost 23 years. Labour MP Tony Benn had last month sent a copy of correspondence with the family to Northern Ireland security minister Adam Ingram, along with a copy of a British Irish Rights Watch report on the killing. Mr Ingram replied yesterday by assuring the family that "every effort is being made" to bring those responsible to justice, but said he could not comment any further until the DPP had completed his investigation. "We're going to push this as far as we can to get the truth. We know who the killers are, but we want to know who covered this up, and why, and that won't happen through the courts but through a public inquiry," Mr Donegan said yesterday. "This was an innocent man, he didn't deserve to get murdered and he didn't deserve what has happened afterwards." The campaign involves all six branches of the family and has won support from Labour MPs Tony Benn and Frank McNamara, five Irish TDs, British Irish Rights Watch, the Pat Finucane Centre and other human rights groups.
I Homepage I I Top I I Press Coverage I I BIRW Report. I See also The Sunday Tribune, Sunday 17 October 1999, by Ed Moloney: North's DPP has decided not to charge Loyalists arrested in connection with Ludlow killing |
