A wanted man in the search for the killers of SAS undercover man Captain Robert Nairac has been traced to a suburban home in New Jersey after a 32-year search.
Patrick Maguire, is alleged to be one of a gang of nine IRA members and sympathisers who kidnapped Nairac, and then tortured and beat him senseless, before coldly shooting in the head.
Others in the murder gang say Maguire played a central part in the bloody fight on May 14, 1977, that ended in Captain Nairac's death. No trace of Nairac's body has ever been found.
Maguire fled to America on a visitor's visa and has since become a U.S. resident.
Even now, the story of what happened to the Oxford educated, SAS-trained Grenadier Guards officer, is still a mystery.
Nairac, 29, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his bravery, ventured into the heartland of the Provisional IRA when he posed as a member of the Official IRA at the Three Steps Inn at Drumintee, two miles from the Irish border.
He played his part well, chatting with locals and singing rebel songs but someone knew the truth.
As he walked to his car at closing time a gang of men who had been drinking at the bar, allegedly including Maguire, jumped him.
Nairac was beaten up then driven three miles to Ravensdale forest, across the border in County Louth. He was tortured for several hours as the gang tried to force him to reveal his identity.
When their efforts failed, the group laughed as an IRA gunman shot Nairac in the head.
Maguire, 57, is accused of being one of three men who fled from Northern Ireland in the days after the killing.
Maguire now lives with wife, Mary, 57, and their children, Anne Marie, 26, Christine, 24, Keira, 23 and Patrick junior, 22, in the quiet New Jersey suburb of Dumont.
Speaking to journalists at his home in Dumont, he said he had regrets about the events of that dark night in 1977.
"There's nothing I can say about that night... Of course I have regrets about it... but I'm not going to say any more.
"I'm not going to go back into the past. And if the past catches up with me, then... There's nothing can change things now and I've told you I regret it but that's as far as I can go... There's nothing can change it, it's 30-odd years ago.
"Things have changed in the north now. If they have progress in the north well and good, but they're not going to find the body here."
Maguire - who works as a tiler and building worker in Manhattan - says he would like to return to South Armagh.
"I'd like to go home because I've lost a lot over there too... I've lost two brothers and a sister and a mother and father. There's been many losses over the 30 or so years of looking over my shoulder. Has it been worth it? No, of course it hasn't."
"My lawyers have given me advice and I've got to stick with that. There's nothing I can do.
"I'd like to think they won't charge me but we have to wait and see. The bitterness of the past is not there any more. There aren't the headlines of the past but...
"Could you help me? You could wave a magic wand, maybe that will help me. Whatever it is, it is.
"I have a wife and four kids here now and it would be difficult to go back there now, it would."
I told you there's nothing I can do.
"I don't know anybody, I've been out of there for over 30 years. I don't want to know anyone, that's the past. I haven't talked to people over there in 30 or more years.
"I don't know anyone and I'm not putting anyone in touch with anyone. It's the people that are still there, they're the ones to help. I'll think about it but there's nothing more I can do."
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.tsullivan1218 | Dec 28, 2009, 08:43 AM EST
I agree with Thomas Coolberth! I have read many accounts of the disappearance of Robert Nairac. He is deified in some and ridiculed as a naive "cowboy" type in others. As a SPY he was going into the lions den and knew the consequences. This was a WAR not a demonstration or insignificant Irish-British period. In WAR spys are reviled. Robert Nairac got his just deserve. If you want to piss and moan about injustice than lets look into the GIBRALTER MURDERS BY THE SAS.
ThomasCoolberth | Dec 26, 2009, 06:12 PM EST
Under the rules of war spies have no Geneva rights. As an American fighting against invaders I would have done the same thing. Maybe I would have sympathy for a uniformed soldier .. but a spy? No way.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:36 PM EST
and have i got it - NO
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:36 PM EST
Once again I urge you to read the coments after mien, they shoudlo give you an idea as to what people who understand the North think, and what IRISH people think.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:30 PM EST
Also your comparisons with other international struggles ilustrate your lack of knowledge on the subject, comparing the hamas/Israel conflict of the Russian v Chechnya conflict, or the Taliban in Afghanistan, you clearly have no idea about the intricacies of the Northern conflict and its incompatibility with any other regional conflict you have spoken of
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:28 PM EST
you fail to realise your opinions and ways are far more conducive to violence in the North than anythign I have said. For the record I would say the same for a loyalist act form the same time period, but not an act committed by any arm of the British security forces
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:27 PM EST
you see haasny or whatever it is, I am not an extermist, I am a member of Sinn Fein. You do not actually read a single comment I make, you just decide for yourself that I am an extremist without trying to look at things form the point of view of an ACTUAL Irish person. Read the comments that came after yours, are they all extremists? they all make the exact same point I did, he may have been unarmed but he was still military personal engaged in a war, he was a spy who would gladly have turned those brave persons he was trying to fool to be tortured, possibly murdered. You call me a fool while you continue to make points which are completely ludicrous and absolutely incompatible with the experiences and knowledge of ACTUAL Irish people who know what they are talking about. I am for peace, not the dredging uup of the past at every opportunity which only serves to engender further hatred, animosity and murder.
LiamDavid | Dec 23, 2009, 09:21 PM EST
My relatives lived and suffered under the inhumane and criminal treatment of the English during their 800 year long occupation of all of Ireland. For these centuries, the English enslaved our people, stole our land, raped our women, murdered our children and laughed at the site of our prolonged misery. Try as they might, the English did all in their power attempting to decimate our religion, language, culture and spirit, but could never quite get the job done. Thankfully, due to their ever living greed, the English couldn’t kill all of us, because, who would do all their work? Finally, after all of these black centuries of English terror and the death of millions of Irishmen, Ireland was able to mount a successful resistance, and got these war criminals out of nearly all but the northern counties. Then during the continued war to rid our country of these left over criminals, this English spy is captured and killed. Any death is sad, but when you fight a war, death is always a possibility on all sides. Ireland Forever
dan Breen | Dec 23, 2009, 05:07 PM EST
He was a spy!! He got what he deserved. How about tracking down the Dublin & Monaghan bombers ? 33 deaths ! Not one person doing time for it!! Here one for the American government, who and where are the solders who shot three nuns in El Salvador ? They are all in Florida USA, Living large. British lobbyist paying off the AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. Gerry Adams and McGuiness sold out......How many spys did they have shot ?
jimmy12003 | Dec 23, 2009, 04:33 PM EST
yes, one SAS dude bit the bullet! over the 30 to 40 years of the troubles! just how many innocent men, women and chrildren in northern ireland died at the hands of the SAS? i grew up there, the amount of times we were awakened from my sleep, to the screams of innocent people being terroised in there homes in the middle of the night, and kids having there father taken from them by the SAS and never seen again, and the british media covering it up saying it was the UVF or some other crap!
haasny007 | Dec 23, 2009, 02:06 PM EST
plasticpaddy, your "promoting the Irish peace process" is as much an oxymoron as Hamas seeking peace with Israel. Over and over again you are justifying torture and murder of an unarmed man. British agent or not, it was wrong! Got it?! I know enough about Irish politics to realize that you are a bitter, incorrigible and partisan fool from yesteryear. Allowing you to participate in any type of peace process is nothing more than a recipe for disaster. I was not born on Irish territory, nonetheless I am carrying my Irish passport with pride, and I can assure you that I am a better ambassador for Ireland than the anachronistic and extremist types of your kind.
deirdreca | Dec 23, 2009, 01:26 PM EST
One question- You are quoting word for word the article in todays British Sun. Any credit given to them? Are you CERTAIN of all of the quotes attributed to Mr. Maguire? Is the Sun truly reliable? I am not arguing what happened or did not happen- merely wondering about the reliability of this article. Please respond Mr. Haynes.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 12:59 PM EST
Correction - "before coldly shooting in the head." this sentence should have 'him' in between 'shooting' and 'in'
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 12:46 PM EST
because the jews were oppressed, not the oppressor, he was the oppressed not the oppressor. Michaelvona you must put the situation in context, Nairac was the one akin to a nazi murderer, not maguire.
bostonblakie | Dec 23, 2009, 12:14 PM EST
Very sad story.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 12:02 PM EST
same again, sees they don't like me arguing with a misinformed person making Irish Americans look bad with his idiotic statements. You can lecture me on peace here when you have done anythign to advance it such as campaigning for the good friday agreement, working fop peace in the north, you sir really are the one looking to the past and dredging up the suture, besmirching the name of a man yet to have any real (substantiated) evidence provided against him. Jump off your high horse and do some reading instead of posting about things you are ignorant about. Also I work in the US for the government and I'm sure I've done more for your country than you in my time there, completely sure. Hypocrisy of the highest order, have you ever even been to the north, go there talk to people, youll see how quick both sides dismiss your pinings as backward looking, unproductive and ignorant of the history and tensions there.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 11:57 AM EST
itis also funy that that which you accuse me of you are more guilty of, living in the past and accusing a man, innocent, not proven guilty of an act of which I would imagine you havent read a single book about, a 'victim' you equate to an innocent person ho was aspy working for a government guilty of human rights abuses and the oppression of an entire population, you really do have your 'morals' skewed and need to take one giant learp from that ugly high horse you are perched on. I have done more in my life than you could ever to promote peace, I campaigned for the good friday agreement, I supported a party who has done more for this peace process than most. You sir really need a reality check and possibly an education in Irish politics and history, mayeb also a trip to Northern ireland where you can converse with people and come to see how utterly intolerable and ignorant your views are, typical of that section of Irish America that gives them a bad name with mis-informed opinions based on nothing but prejudice and quite hypocritical, what have you done in your life to advance the lot of irish people, other than talk crap form afar!
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 11:46 AM EST
I just wrote a huge comment which for some reason didnt go throguh suffice to say I compared you to a back seat driver, annoying and without the knowledge base necessary to make an intelligent argument. Have you ever even been to my country?
haasny007 | Dec 23, 2009, 11:27 AM EST
I am perfectly aware of the suffering of the Irish at the hands of the British over the past millennium and most certainly don't need any lecturing from extremist elements of your kind. You condone a brutal torture and murder of an unarmed British agent. You very much sounded as if you regretted that you yourself weren't able to torture this guy to death. How does that make you any different from Chechen Islamist fundamentalists who chainsaw Russian soldiers in half, alive, or the Afghan Taliban who take pleasure in decapitating their 'infidel' enemies? Your are obviously utterly incapable of looking forward, leaving the past behind and enjoying the modest prosperity and semblance of peace that has finally arrived in Northern Ireland. Please stay away from the US, we have plenty of nut-cases of our own.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 11:05 AM EST
Apologies for namecalling but being compared to the taliban is highly insulting, especially due to the legitimate war waged by the IRA and INLA against a foreign occupier with no initial aggression on my nations part. We are the supressed not the surpressor.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:59 AM EST
Irish Taliban, shut your mouth you ignoramus. How dare you compare me to them. He killed a member of the military forces occupying his country. If Britain took a part of America tomorrow are you saying you wouldnt accept the Americans targeting British soldiers. I don't live in the past, I completely support the peace process and have never commited a vioent act against a single person. I however understand that the only thing the British ever understood was force and violence. The only way there was a peace process was by taking the war to the British mainland and making the British public feel the same pain the northern irish population felt for 900 years. I am not a dude, I am an Irish national, might I ask where you are from? have you ever been to Northern Ireland, you clearly have no idea about Irih history or suffering and comment from your comfortable armchair. I wuld love to see your reAction when youre family are tortured and beaten, treated as second class citizens, denied employment because of reigion and political affiliations. How dare you condemn others with clearly no knowledge base. Ignoracne is bliss I suppose.
haasny007 | Dec 23, 2009, 10:36 AM EST
hello plasticpaddy, or should I say Irish Taliban. This guy tortured and murdered in cold blood. How dare you compare the murderous acts of this coward assassin with a felony. Dude, you have a serious problem. You live in the past and have obviously learned nothing from history.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 10:05 AM EST
because he was fighting in a war against a British agent on our soil that is why. Polanski is a child molester there is a big difference. How dare you compare child molester to a man fighting to rid his country of murderous scum, you shoudl be ashamed to call yourself Irish in any way. If you even are Irish that is.
haasny007 | Dec 23, 2009, 10:00 AM EST
This guy was involved in a murder. Why should he be let off the hook while Roman Polanski was arrested on an Interpol arrest warrant and is facing extradition more than 30 years after he had sex with a minor? Go figure.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 05:12 AM EST
agreed feliciamaisey, well said!
feliciamaisey | Dec 22, 2009, 10:50 PM EST
Different times, having grown older and perhaps wiser, and not wanting to jeopardize the life he re-established....isn't his like so many people who have fought for a cause on varied sides of the fences over the years and who all have the same regrets--all wars, political, religious, or whatever--they all destroy the people that are involved. I think this man must talk to someone--he knows he has lost kin over the thirty years he has lived in my country, but he lives as a different man and hunting him or hounding him will not right any wrong or soothe any regrets he harbors. Let's move forward shall we??
plasticpaddy | Dec 22, 2009, 12:37 PM EST
Nairic put himself in that situation, tough titty man!
kickstar | Dec 22, 2009, 12:17 PM EST
I guess when they are hounding peace embracing long since retired Republicans it takes peoples eyes of the biggest rottenist shower of shaggin Thieves this country has ever seen the seed and breed of them should be exterminated like the rotten black hearted rats they are From the Indo "IRISH Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton fasttracked millions of euro of loans to leading politicians, it was claimed last night".
seamusmoore427 | Dec 22, 2009, 11:55 AM EST
In former Belfast Telegraph correspondent Toby Harnden's book on the South Armagh IRA, Bandit Country, he describes Nairac as a self-styled member of British "Intelligence". Going undercover in South Armagh (Provo territory) as a "stickie", or member of the Official IRA, would be akin to a US soldier going into the Sunni Triangle in Iraq disguised as a Shia. Bandit Country has also has Nairac's manual on how to turn South Armagh residents into informants; one would have a better chance of landing a 747 in your backyard. Little wonder Captain Bobby hasn't been seen in over 32 years. There is a bar in Sunnside Queens (home of what Irish author David McWilliams calls the "RA heads"; "I" think he might be short a letter there) where a customer and the barman have a running joke between them: the customer plays a two-step tribute to Captain Nairac: Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynard and Disappear by INXS. Oh those paddies and their subtle sense of humor!
Rebelforce | Dec 22, 2009, 08:35 AM EST
It's interesting how you never hear of any Jewish "Freedom fighters" who used violence to throw the British out of Palestine being tracked down here in the US and threatened with extradition. Ofcourse, we all know that who is considered a "terrorist" and who a "freedom fighter" depends on whose ox is being gored.