19 years ago in March 1990, Colin Duffy was making his way home along with Sam Marshall and a third man, Tony McCaughey, when they were confronted by masked gunmen who opened up with automatic fire. The attack took place just moments after the three men had signed bail at Lurgan RUC barracks.
In January 1990, both Sam Marshall and Colin were at Tony McCaughey's home when it was raided by the RUC. All three were arrested and charged as a result of the raid. In February Sam and Colin were granted bail and released but it was another month before Tony was released from custody. All three men were granted bail on the condition that they signed at the local RUC now PSNI barracks twice a week.
The first evening that all three were scheduled to sign together at the same time was Wednesday, 7th of March. The exact days and times were known only to themselves, their solicitor and the RUC. The men already suspected they were under surveillance. The day before, Colin and Tony had spotted a vehicle following them. A red Maestro had been seen by other people in the neighbourhood. As the three men walked towards the barracks, the red Maestro was spotted again.
On the way to the barracks, the Maestro was seen again at St Peter's Chapel. Tony described the driver as well dressed, and wearing a white shirt and dark suit jacket. After signing bail, the three men noticed several figures in the outside observation post of the barracks. It was unusual for the post to be manned and the two occupants were not wearing RUC caps.
A few hundred yards from the barracks the red Maestro passed the three men again. A second car, a red Rover carrying three men passed them near Wellington Street, travelling towards the town centre. A few minutes later the Rover passed them again. It was then spotted for the third time, parked just beyond Kilmaine street.
Initially, the three men had assumed the Rover was part of a surveillance team which included the Maestro and only at the last moment did they become concerned enough to change their intended route. It was too late. Two masked gunmen stepped out of the Rover and opened fire. Sam Marshall was wounded and unable to run. The gunman put the rifle to Sam's head and fired twice. Miraculously, Tony and Colin escaped unharmed.
A few days later, a sophisticated crown force surveillance camera trained on Colin's house was discovered. The equipment bore Nato and British MoD markings. The Rover had been found burnt out, shortly after the killing near the M1 motorway. Questions were publicly asked about the Maestro but there were no answers immediately forthcoming.
In 1994 during an extradition hearing in America, RUC inspector Alan Clegg admitted that the red Maestro belonged to the "intelligence services", and on the night Sam Marshall died it was part of an undercover operation involving three unmarked vehicles one of which belonged to the RUC. Clegg refused to divulge any further information to the US court on the grounds of "British national security".
As the Historical Enquiries Team re investigates Sam's murder and the Marshall family pursue their demand for the holding of an open and full inquest, a very pertinent question arises - is it possible that the very forces accused of direct involvement in that murder have conspired again in 2009 to conveniently imprison one of the surviving two key witnesses to Sam's murder, in order to discredit him and any testimony he may give?