OMAGH: WHY HAS NO-ONE BEEN CHARGED
OMAGH: Why has no-one been charged
Bombers hiding behind veil of silence
By Chris Thornton
AS 1998 closes, the people behind the worst act of terrorism in Ireland remain at large.
Despite thousands of hours of exhaustive police work on both sides of the borders, the RUC has yet to charge anyone, with the Omagh massacre.
Everyone who played a part in wiping out 31 lives, including unborn twins, on that August day will start the New Year as free men and women.
But detectives have not given up hope on cracking open the case - because they believe there are still people out there who can give them the information they need.
The Omagh bombers are still hidden by a veil of silence - despite a chain of knowledge about the massacre running for more than 100 miles from Co Kildare to Omagh itself.
More than 4,000 witness statements have been taken in one of the RUC's biggest investigations.
More than 40 people have been arrested for questioning about the bombing by RUC officers and gardai, but detectives say there is more evidence they can get.
Police privately acknowledge that they are still hoping to prick someone's conscience about their role in or knowledge of the attack.
Given the number of people who would have knowledge about various aspects of the attack, police believe someone in the chain may be having a crisis of conscience about the 31 deaths and hundreds of injuries that resulted.
"We still believe that this is one way it could be cleared." said a police source.
"Even one of the terrorists could wake up one morning and think 'this is unacceptable - I can't live with this on my conscience anymore".
"That's something we think could happen and even might happen."
Detective Chief Superintendent Erie Anderson, the officer in charge of the RUC investigation, said today that his team is still determined to catch the bombers.
"It is a long and protracted inquiry." he said. "The RUC are working with quiet determination to catch these people.
"We are working closely with our colleagues in the Garda - and there is still a great deal to be done."
A Garda spokeswoman added: "The investigation is still ongoing."
The hub of the terrorist operation that led to the bombing is understood to have been in south Armagh.
An experienced Provisional IRA bombmaker - so opposed to the peace process that he defected to the Real IRA - is believed to have planned and directed the attack from his home near the border.
Police now believe that the home-made explosives which made up the bomb's main charge were mixed in Co Kildare. not far from Dublin.
The explosives were then transported to a secret bomb factory in south Armagh.
The Real IRA is believed to have moved back over the border into Northern Ireland because Garda surveillance had stymied a number of previous attacks.
At the same time. Real IRA members ensured that the factory was kept out of view of the security forces by setting off bombs in south Armagh - forcing the security forces to scale back operations in the area for their own safety.
Real IRA members in Dundalk are believed to have organised the theft of the car.
Working through a car wrecker in the Republic with a history of involvement in IRA activity and the stolen car trade, they are believed to have used car thieves outside the Republican movement to provide a vehicle.
The red Vauxhall Cavalier was stolen in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, around 60 hours before it was left in Omagh.
It was driven to Cullaville in south Armagh, where it is believed it was handed over to the bombmakers. It was also seen briefly in Crossmaglen.
The car was taken to the bomb factory, where it was fitted with Northern Ireland registration plates.
Around 300lbs of homemade explosives were placed in the boot, along with a Semtex booster tube.
On Saturday. August 15 the car was driven by two men to Omagh. At the same time, inaccurate phone warnings were made from two locations in south Armagh.
Bombers hiding behind veil of silence
By Chris Thornton
AS 1998 closes, the people behind the worst act of terrorism in Ireland remain at large.
Despite thousands of hours of exhaustive police work on both sides of the borders, the RUC has yet to charge anyone, with the Omagh massacre.
Everyone who played a part in wiping out 31 lives, including unborn twins, on that August day will start the New Year as free men and women.
But detectives have not given up hope on cracking open the case - because they believe there are still people out there who can give them the information they need.
The Omagh bombers are still hidden by a veil of silence - despite a chain of knowledge about the massacre running for more than 100 miles from Co Kildare to Omagh itself.
More than 4,000 witness statements have been taken in one of the RUC's biggest investigations.
More than 40 people have been arrested for questioning about the bombing by RUC officers and gardai, but detectives say there is more evidence they can get.
Police privately acknowledge that they are still hoping to prick someone's conscience about their role in or knowledge of the attack.
Given the number of people who would have knowledge about various aspects of the attack, police believe someone in the chain may be having a crisis of conscience about the 31 deaths and hundreds of injuries that resulted.
"We still believe that this is one way it could be cleared." said a police source.
"Even one of the terrorists could wake up one morning and think 'this is unacceptable - I can't live with this on my conscience anymore".
"That's something we think could happen and even might happen."
Detective Chief Superintendent Erie Anderson, the officer in charge of the RUC investigation, said today that his team is still determined to catch the bombers.
"It is a long and protracted inquiry." he said. "The RUC are working with quiet determination to catch these people.
"We are working closely with our colleagues in the Garda - and there is still a great deal to be done."
A Garda spokeswoman added: "The investigation is still ongoing."
The hub of the terrorist operation that led to the bombing is understood to have been in south Armagh.
An experienced Provisional IRA bombmaker - so opposed to the peace process that he defected to the Real IRA - is believed to have planned and directed the attack from his home near the border.
Police now believe that the home-made explosives which made up the bomb's main charge were mixed in Co Kildare. not far from Dublin.
The explosives were then transported to a secret bomb factory in south Armagh.
The Real IRA is believed to have moved back over the border into Northern Ireland because Garda surveillance had stymied a number of previous attacks.
At the same time. Real IRA members ensured that the factory was kept out of view of the security forces by setting off bombs in south Armagh - forcing the security forces to scale back operations in the area for their own safety.
Real IRA members in Dundalk are believed to have organised the theft of the car.
Working through a car wrecker in the Republic with a history of involvement in IRA activity and the stolen car trade, they are believed to have used car thieves outside the Republican movement to provide a vehicle.
The red Vauxhall Cavalier was stolen in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, around 60 hours before it was left in Omagh.
It was driven to Cullaville in south Armagh, where it is believed it was handed over to the bombmakers. It was also seen briefly in Crossmaglen.
The car was taken to the bomb factory, where it was fitted with Northern Ireland registration plates.
Around 300lbs of homemade explosives were placed in the boot, along with a Semtex booster tube.
On Saturday. August 15 the car was driven by two men to Omagh. At the same time, inaccurate phone warnings were made from two locations in south Armagh.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0545
Published Date: 31-Dec-98
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