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Murders tribunal met IRA men
2011-06-07 17:51:17
7 June 2011 Last updated at 16:49 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print RUC officers murders inquiry team met IRA leaders Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan were murdered by the IRA in 1989 Continue reading the main story Related Stories Dail backs RUC tribunal deadline DUP alarm at RUC murders inquiry
A tribunal in Dublin investigating the murder of two RUC officers has revealed it met three former members of the Provisional IRA in recent weeks.
The inquiry is investigating allegations of Irish police collusion in the murder of the officers who were shot dead by the IRA in March 1989.
The three ex-IRA leaders, one of whom had a command role in the attack, met the inquiry's legal team.
Their evidence will be presented to the tribunal shortly.
In an opening statement, counsel for the inquiry said the IRA members gave detailed accounts and replied to questions from the tribunal investigators.
The two police officers - Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan - were shot dead after a meeting at Dundalk Garda station.
On Tuesday, it emerged that Mr Breen and Mr Buchanan had been returning from a meeting with Irish police to discuss the the possibility of launching a joint operation on lands owned by Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, regarded as the most senior republican at that time in south Armagh.
Evidence to the inquiry also includes a statement from Chief Superintendent Breen's staff officer Alan Mains, in which he said Mr Breen expressed concern that a member of the Irish police was in the pay of Murphy.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the tribunal had met with his party's leadership in May 2006 to see if a meeting with the IRA leadership could be arranged.
He said this was not possible, as the IRA "had left the stage".
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