During October 2001, a key witness in the case against the three Irish republicans disappeared.

"I've been told there was a witness to the shooting and that the witness has disappeared," I said.

Action was dropped on the indictments when the state's witnesses disappeared.

The witness would have disappeared entirely from the Los Angeles scene.

However police are forced to drop the charges when witnesses against him disappeared or retracted their statements.

"Half the witnesses have disappeared before a constable can get there and take down particulars."

A Hearst employee killed a man who refused to sell his claim, but was acquitted in court after all the witnesses disappeared.

When a trial is considered, the witnesses disappear or become unable to remember.

Other witnesses from the streets would either remain quiet or disappear after we found them.

Some witnesses who had given police evidence against Mrs. Mandela simply disappeared.