OMAGH:I'VE NO DOUBT THIS CALL HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATTACK
I 've no doubt this call had nothing to do with the attack
SIR RONNIE FLANAGAN LAST NIGHT
SIR Ronnie Flanagan insisted yesterday an anonymous call warning of a terrorist strike - 11 days before the Omagh bomb - had "absolutely nothing" to do with the blast in the Tyrone town. And in a no-holds barred interview Sir Ronnie said that the Omagh police chief would trust the Special Branch officers at the centre of the advance warning now with his children's lives.
Superintendent James Baxter, the subdivision commander in Omagh on the day of the atrocity, didn't become aware of the anonymous call, warning of the terrorist strike, until near two years later. Special Branch office were told of the threat days before the Real IRA detonated the car bomb and it has been claimed that had they passed on the information, the terrorists might have been deterred. But the Northern Ireland Chief Constable insisted the call was assessed to have no merit. He said: "It had absolute nothing to do with the attack on Omagh".
Special Branch is at the centre of bitter controversy over claims that it failed pass on information to senior officers on the ground, including Superintendent Baxter, after being told the Continuity IRA was planning an attack on police in Omagh on the day of the bombing.
The call was made to a detective constable in Omagh on August 4. This Is what the Chief Constable said yesterday:
"This male caller purported to report that two named individuals would be having delivered to them four AK47 rifles and two rocket launchers on behalf of the Continuity IRA. "The caller went on to allege that these weapons would be moved to a named location to another individual, also named. From there they would be moved to some spot, two to three miles outside Omagh, for an attack on the police in Omagh on August 15. "The CID officer who received the call consulted his Detective Chief Inspector in CID and together they consulted Special Branch and outlined the nature of the call. "The caller, incidentally, also said that he would he would be meeting the first two named people the following day and would ring back the following evening with further information."Special Branch carried out checks on the individuals who had been named. They knew from their own knowledge, but checked from their records to find none of these people had subversive traces.
"While Special Branch assessed that the call had no merit, it was arranged a Special Branch officer would be in place the following evening if the caller was to ring back and be in a position to question him, just in case it merited further action.
"In the event, there was no further call from this person. Special Branch officers who are very experienced, who have saved many lives, and the subdivision commander tells me he would trust the lives of his children to their judgment.
"They made an assessment this call did not merit further action. Indeed there never was a semblance of a gun and rocket attack upon the police, two to three miles outside Omagh on the 15th, which indicates their assessment was right.
"If it had been assessed that this information merited action, then the action I would have expected from any sub divisional commander, on being faced with the possibility of his patrols being attacked at some unspecified point by run and rocket attack, would undoubtedly result in that subdivisional commander having fewer patrols on the ground.
"Even if action had been taken, it would not have been action that in any way could remotely have led to interception of a bomb that was enroute to Omagh. "I have no doubt whatsoever that this call has absolutely nothing to do with the attack that was carried out upon the people of Omagh. "He rejected claims Special Branch had acted to protect an informer. He said: "Never would Special Branch, or any department in this organisation, act in a way to protect their assets that would see people's lives in danger. "There are no Special Branch assets either being protected, or could be protected in this matter."
Sir Ronnie has also spoken with some of the families in the aftermath of the claims against the Special Branch.
He added: "I'm heartbroken that families who have already been through so much are being put through needless further trauma ... Outside this circle of victims of Omagh I feel this as deeply as any other human being." The Chief Constable denied bringing in an outside team was a sign of desperation. He said: "Above all, I am interested in the feelings of the victims of this atrocity. "People are casting aspirations on the RUC investigation and I want to take all possible steps to allay fears and provide as much reassurance for these families.
"I think it's possible these people (the bombers) can be got. We will not give up all hope, but at the same time I wouldn't want to give rise to false hope."
SIR RONNIE FLANAGAN LAST NIGHT
SIR Ronnie Flanagan insisted yesterday an anonymous call warning of a terrorist strike - 11 days before the Omagh bomb - had "absolutely nothing" to do with the blast in the Tyrone town. And in a no-holds barred interview Sir Ronnie said that the Omagh police chief would trust the Special Branch officers at the centre of the advance warning now with his children's lives.
Superintendent James Baxter, the subdivision commander in Omagh on the day of the atrocity, didn't become aware of the anonymous call, warning of the terrorist strike, until near two years later. Special Branch office were told of the threat days before the Real IRA detonated the car bomb and it has been claimed that had they passed on the information, the terrorists might have been deterred. But the Northern Ireland Chief Constable insisted the call was assessed to have no merit. He said: "It had absolute nothing to do with the attack on Omagh".
Special Branch is at the centre of bitter controversy over claims that it failed pass on information to senior officers on the ground, including Superintendent Baxter, after being told the Continuity IRA was planning an attack on police in Omagh on the day of the bombing.
The call was made to a detective constable in Omagh on August 4. This Is what the Chief Constable said yesterday:
"This male caller purported to report that two named individuals would be having delivered to them four AK47 rifles and two rocket launchers on behalf of the Continuity IRA. "The caller went on to allege that these weapons would be moved to a named location to another individual, also named. From there they would be moved to some spot, two to three miles outside Omagh, for an attack on the police in Omagh on August 15. "The CID officer who received the call consulted his Detective Chief Inspector in CID and together they consulted Special Branch and outlined the nature of the call. "The caller, incidentally, also said that he would he would be meeting the first two named people the following day and would ring back the following evening with further information."Special Branch carried out checks on the individuals who had been named. They knew from their own knowledge, but checked from their records to find none of these people had subversive traces.
"While Special Branch assessed that the call had no merit, it was arranged a Special Branch officer would be in place the following evening if the caller was to ring back and be in a position to question him, just in case it merited further action.
"In the event, there was no further call from this person. Special Branch officers who are very experienced, who have saved many lives, and the subdivision commander tells me he would trust the lives of his children to their judgment.
"They made an assessment this call did not merit further action. Indeed there never was a semblance of a gun and rocket attack upon the police, two to three miles outside Omagh on the 15th, which indicates their assessment was right.
"If it had been assessed that this information merited action, then the action I would have expected from any sub divisional commander, on being faced with the possibility of his patrols being attacked at some unspecified point by run and rocket attack, would undoubtedly result in that subdivisional commander having fewer patrols on the ground.
"Even if action had been taken, it would not have been action that in any way could remotely have led to interception of a bomb that was enroute to Omagh. "I have no doubt whatsoever that this call has absolutely nothing to do with the attack that was carried out upon the people of Omagh. "He rejected claims Special Branch had acted to protect an informer. He said: "Never would Special Branch, or any department in this organisation, act in a way to protect their assets that would see people's lives in danger. "There are no Special Branch assets either being protected, or could be protected in this matter."
Sir Ronnie has also spoken with some of the families in the aftermath of the claims against the Special Branch.
He added: "I'm heartbroken that families who have already been through so much are being put through needless further trauma ... Outside this circle of victims of Omagh I feel this as deeply as any other human being." The Chief Constable denied bringing in an outside team was a sign of desperation. He said: "Above all, I am interested in the feelings of the victims of this atrocity. "People are casting aspirations on the RUC investigation and I want to take all possible steps to allay fears and provide as much reassurance for these families.
"I think it's possible these people (the bombers) can be got. We will not give up all hope, but at the same time I wouldn't want to give rise to false hope."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0796
Published Date: 08-Dec-01
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