Evidence continues at Smithwick Tribunal

Murdered RUC superintendent Bob Buchanan lingered in Dundalk Garda station the day he was killed, exchanging pleasantries and accepting good wishes on his imminent promotion and transfer out of the area, the Smithwick Tribunal has been told.

Supt Bob Buchanan and colleague Chief Supt Harry Breen were murdered by the IRA as they returned from a meeting in the Garda station on Monday, March 20th, 1989.

The tribunal is inquiring into suggestions that members of An Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the killings.

This morning, retired inspector Vincent Rowan told the tribunal he had chatted to Supt Buchanan on an internal balcony upstairs in Dundalk Garda station.

He recalled Supt Buchanan had just emerged from a meeting with Garda Chief Supt John Nolan and RUC Chief Supt Harry Breen, and he had congratulated Supt Buchanan on the promotion and transfer to Newtownards, Co Down.

Mr Rowan told the tribunal he could not remember who had told him Supt Buchanan was being transferred before he broached the subject with the RUC man. But he said one of the officers present in the Garda station must have told him, because he clearly remembered offering congratulations.

The tribunal has heard Supt Buchanan first disclosed news of his transfer when he telephoned Dundalk Garda station to arrange the meeting on the morning of the day he was assassinated.

Counsel for the tribunal Justin Dillon said officers present who might technically have been in a position to relay news of the transfer were Sgt George Flynn; Chief Supt Nolan; Supt Pat Tierney and Inspector Frank Murray.

Mr Dillon said Mr Flynn had told the tribunal he had not known of Supt Buchanan's impending transfer, while Supt Tierney and Chief Supt Nolan "did not tell" tribunal chairman Judge Peter Smithwick they had divulged the information.

Mr Dillon said this appeared to leave InspMurray, who was deceased. Mr Rowan said he could not remember which officer had divulged the information. "But I couldn't have said it to him [Supt Buchanan] unless somebody told me," he said.

Mr Rowan also told the tribunal Supt Buchanan's movements could have been observed by outsiders. He "would have travelled up and down regularly from his base in Northern Ireland and didn't seem to change cars or change number plates".

He said he thought the Provisional IRA would have been able to observe this "relatively easily".