CELTIC LEAGUE PRESS INFORMATION



MINISTER EVASIVE ON LUDLOW QUERY



Dermot Ahern T.D., Irish Social Affairs Minister has sidestepped a
query from the Celtic League about the controversy surrounding the
murder of Co. Louth forestry worker, Seamus Ludlow.

Mr. Ludlow was murdered on the 2nd of May 1976. It is believed that
his killers were a loyalist murder gang and there is also a suspicion
of complicity by the British security forces.

Recently, following a demonstration to commemorate the 25th anniversary
of the murder Mr. Ahern reiterated the governments unwillingness to
accede to the families request for an independent public enquiry.
The League had written challenging this inertia and urging a rethink.
However, in a reply from the Ministers Office, his Private Secretary
Aongus Horgan says that " As this matter is proper to the Department
of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Minister has passed your
letter to his colleague, John O'Donoghue T.D., Minister for Justice.

The Celtic League have a great deal of respect for Mr. Ahern particularly
in relation to assistance and cooperation he has shown in the past.
However, to intervene with public comment which coincided with relatives
attempts to highlight the inertia over the Ludlow slaying and then
sidestep the issue indicates questionable judgement in this matter.

It is high time that all government Ministers from the Taoiseach down
adopted a more positive stance in relation to uncovering the truth
about British military involvement in the murder of Irish citizens
peacefully going about their business.





Bernard Moffatt

Celtic League




15/05/01



The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries of the
western British Isles and Brittany. It works to promote cooperation
between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political,
cultural and environmental matters. It targets human rights abuse
and monitors all military activity within these areas.

TEL (UK)01624 627128 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609

Internet site at http://www.manxman.co.im/cleague/index.html

news site at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league

b.moffatt@...