GARDAÍ are worried that two men suspected of playing a role in the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe will return to the North of Ireland via Britain to avoid capture.
Detectives have identified five suspects in connection with the shooting outside a credit union near Dundalk on January 25 last year.
Two of the main suspects, including the young man gardaí believe fired the shotgun that killed Mr Donohoe, have been in the US for two months.
But detectives fear they will evade attempts to question them by returning to the North through a British airport when their 90-day visas expire.
Gardaí, who have had little co-operation from people in South Armagh who knew the gang, previously travelled to New York and asked the men to make statements. But they declined to present themselves.
The news comes as gardaí renew their appeal for witnesses to mark the one-year anniversary of Mr Donohoe’s murder.
"It is almost a year since the callous murder of our colleague Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot dead while carrying out his normal day-to-day duties as a member of An Garda Síochána,” said Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan outside Dundalk Garda Station on Friday.
"His murder had a profound impact not only on his colleagues in Dundalk, but also on the wider An Garda Síochána family.”
He added: "It had an impact not only on the lives of those he positively affected in Co. Louth through his work, or through his involvement with the GAA community, but also country wide.”
Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot on January 25 2013Mr Donohoe was shot dead outside Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan.
He and a colleague were in an unmarked car on escort duty when an attempted robbery took place.
A gang of armed men attempted to hold up staff as they left the building and the two officers got out of their car.
Mr Donohoe was shot in the head as he approached the gang.
To mark the anniversary of his murder, a memorial service for Mr Donohoe will be held in Dundalk’s Redemptionist Church this Saturday evening.
There will also be a candle-lit vigil from the scene of Mr Donohoe’s death to St Pat's GAA club, where he was an active member.
This week also saw the emergence of claims that Sinn Fein and the IRA know who was involved in the killing.
Mayor of Drogheda Richie Culhane, a Fine Gael councillor and former colleague of the Mr Donohoe, said: "There is nothing that happens in Crossmaglen and nothing that happens in South Armagh that Sinn Fein and the IRA don't know about."
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams denied the claim.
“To depict that the people of the border region is protecting or are covering the people who killed Adrian Donohue is wrong,” he added.
“We have made it clear that this gang should turn themselves in.”
