POLICE BODY CHALLENGES OMAGH BOMB REPORT
Police body challenges Omagh bomb report
A LEGAL bid to quash the Ombudsman's highly critical report of the police handling of the Omagh bomb investigation is due to get under way in the High Court in Belfast today. The Police Association is applying for a judicial review of Nuala O'Loan's devastating criticism of the then RUC's handling of the probe into the Real IRA attack in August 1998, which killed 29 people and two unborn babies, and injured many more.
Two days have been set aside for the hearing before Mr Justice Kerr and it is expected that judgment will be reserved.
The Police Association represents all ranks in the PSNI and a spokesman for the association's solicitors, Edwards and Company, said: "The application is on behalf of the officers criticised in the Ombudsman's report who were given no right of reply."
Mrs O'Loan's report centred on the role of the Special Branch, criticising it for inadequate sharing of information.
It accused the then Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan of "defective leadership" and "poor judgment".
Sir Ronnie has countered that the report was "inaccurate and error-ridden" and had inflicted "unnecessary grief and anxiety" on the relatives of the dead. He responded to the publication of the report by saying that if what it said about him was true, he would commit public suicide.
His affidavit supporting the case for quashing the report will be accompanied by one from Ray White, a former Assistant Chief Constable.
The Ombudsman's office will have affidavits from acting Deputy Chief Constable Alan McQuillan and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid.
A LEGAL bid to quash the Ombudsman's highly critical report of the police handling of the Omagh bomb investigation is due to get under way in the High Court in Belfast today. The Police Association is applying for a judicial review of Nuala O'Loan's devastating criticism of the then RUC's handling of the probe into the Real IRA attack in August 1998, which killed 29 people and two unborn babies, and injured many more.
Two days have been set aside for the hearing before Mr Justice Kerr and it is expected that judgment will be reserved.
The Police Association represents all ranks in the PSNI and a spokesman for the association's solicitors, Edwards and Company, said: "The application is on behalf of the officers criticised in the Ombudsman's report who were given no right of reply."
Mrs O'Loan's report centred on the role of the Special Branch, criticising it for inadequate sharing of information.
It accused the then Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan of "defective leadership" and "poor judgment".
Sir Ronnie has countered that the report was "inaccurate and error-ridden" and had inflicted "unnecessary grief and anxiety" on the relatives of the dead. He responded to the publication of the report by saying that if what it said about him was true, he would commit public suicide.
His affidavit supporting the case for quashing the report will be accompanied by one from Ray White, a former Assistant Chief Constable.
The Ombudsman's office will have affidavits from acting Deputy Chief Constable Alan McQuillan and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0811
Published Date: 23-Jan-03
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