The Irish News, 31 March 2006:

Ludlow murder appointment

Margaret Canning

Gardai have appointed a senior officer to reinvestigate the murder of Dundalk man Seamus Ludlow, it was announced last night (Thursday).

The development came the day after an Oireachtas committee failed to recommend a full public inquiry into the shooting of the forestry worker.

A Garda spokesman said a senior officer would reexamine investigation files and "where appropriate, all avenues of enquiry, with a view to bringing those responsible for this outrageous crime to justice".

The spokesman said that the senior officer would work closely with police in the north as part of the investigation. No-one has ever been charged with the murder of the 47-year-old bachelor, shot dead by a loyalist gang on his way home from a pub.

His family have fought for a full inquiry into the killing, with the power to compel witnesses to cooperate and with full access to all relevant documents.

A report by Mr Justice Henry Barron into the case was highly critical of the initial Garda investigation into the murder.

The family had been incorrectly told by officers that Mr Ludlow had links to the Provisional IRA and had been an informer.

The judge also confirmed that the RUC had revealed the names of four loyalist suspect in 1979 but gardai never followed this up.

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