BLAIR OMAGH PLEDGE 'HOLLOW'
Blair Omagh pledge 'hollow'
TONY Blair's assurances the Omagh bombers would be brought to justice and the so-called Real IRA disbanded have, proved hollow, victims' relatives claimed today. "Like the families of the Lockerbie victims, we want justice, for without justice there can be no peace," said Michael Gallagher whose son Adrian (21) was among the 29 people killed in the atrocity.
Mr Gallagher and Victor Baker, whose son James (12) also died, are to stage a vigil in Downing Street tonight when the Prime Minister meets with the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. They are having new talks as efforts intensified in London, Belfast and Dublin to agree a deal to end the deadlock on decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation which is threatening the future of the Northern Ireland peace process.
The deputy First Minister at Stormont, Seamus Mallon is cutting short a trip to Europe to return to Belfast amid claims that the sides are edging towards some sort of settlement. One man charged in connection with the August 1998 bombing is to stand trial in Dublin later this year after the case was postponed three times. Some relatives are taking private legal action.
But public and private assurances by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and the dissident terror group disbanded had proved hollow, according to the relatives.
TONY Blair's assurances the Omagh bombers would be brought to justice and the so-called Real IRA disbanded have, proved hollow, victims' relatives claimed today. "Like the families of the Lockerbie victims, we want justice, for without justice there can be no peace," said Michael Gallagher whose son Adrian (21) was among the 29 people killed in the atrocity.
Mr Gallagher and Victor Baker, whose son James (12) also died, are to stage a vigil in Downing Street tonight when the Prime Minister meets with the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. They are having new talks as efforts intensified in London, Belfast and Dublin to agree a deal to end the deadlock on decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation which is threatening the future of the Northern Ireland peace process.
The deputy First Minister at Stormont, Seamus Mallon is cutting short a trip to Europe to return to Belfast amid claims that the sides are edging towards some sort of settlement. One man charged in connection with the August 1998 bombing is to stand trial in Dublin later this year after the case was postponed three times. Some relatives are taking private legal action.
But public and private assurances by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and the dissident terror group disbanded had proved hollow, according to the relatives.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0768
Published Date: 31-Jan-01
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