PUBLIC RIFT DAMAGING INVESTIGATION'
Public rift damaging investigation'
By Mary Fitzgerald
RELATIVES of those who died in the Omagh bombing today said the deep rift between the Chief Constable and Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan was in danger of obscuring the importance of finding those responsible for the bombing.
Families arriving for the crunch meeting with Sir Ronnie Flanagan said they were waiting to hear the truth from him about how his force had handled the Omagh investigation. Stanley McCombe, who lost his wife in the bombing, said: "We want the truth, whatever it may be."
Mr McCombe said of the Chief Constable: "I think he will have a job getting the trust of the families back."
Reacting to reports that Sir Ronnie had rejected Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's call for an outside officer to head an investigation into the bombing, Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan was among the dead, said people had lost faith in the current investigation team. Superintendent Brian McArthur, who headed the original inquiry, which was heavily criticised by Mrs O'Loan, is to stay in charge and he will be advised by a senior policeman from Merseyside.
The Ombudsman had recommended a team headed by a senior officer, independent of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, be set up.
"This falls far short of what we expected. There will be no real change to the investigation team which was something we had hoped for. It seems we are being failed again. What is needed is a full public inquiry," Mr Gallagher said.
Hitting out at those he accused of trying to gain political mileage out of the spat between Sir Ronnie and the Police Ombudsman, Mr Gallagher said: "People have come out in support or against Mrs O'Loan on political grounds. We have never politicised Omagh and we resent politicians trying to gain from it themselves.
"Painting this as a dispute between the Chief Constable and Mrs O'Loan will only delay our fight for justice."
Victor Barker, who lost his son James in the bombing, did not attend today's meeting but was due to speak with the Chief Constable by telephone afterwards.
"I hope he can back up his denials with facts but my chief concern is the investigation can be eventually concluded and the bombers brought to justice. "This petty squabble between Mrs O'Loan and the Chief Constable just causes more and more delays and takes away from what should be the main focus," he said.
By Mary Fitzgerald
RELATIVES of those who died in the Omagh bombing today said the deep rift between the Chief Constable and Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan was in danger of obscuring the importance of finding those responsible for the bombing.
Families arriving for the crunch meeting with Sir Ronnie Flanagan said they were waiting to hear the truth from him about how his force had handled the Omagh investigation. Stanley McCombe, who lost his wife in the bombing, said: "We want the truth, whatever it may be."
Mr McCombe said of the Chief Constable: "I think he will have a job getting the trust of the families back."
Reacting to reports that Sir Ronnie had rejected Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's call for an outside officer to head an investigation into the bombing, Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan was among the dead, said people had lost faith in the current investigation team. Superintendent Brian McArthur, who headed the original inquiry, which was heavily criticised by Mrs O'Loan, is to stay in charge and he will be advised by a senior policeman from Merseyside.
The Ombudsman had recommended a team headed by a senior officer, independent of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, be set up.
"This falls far short of what we expected. There will be no real change to the investigation team which was something we had hoped for. It seems we are being failed again. What is needed is a full public inquiry," Mr Gallagher said.
Hitting out at those he accused of trying to gain political mileage out of the spat between Sir Ronnie and the Police Ombudsman, Mr Gallagher said: "People have come out in support or against Mrs O'Loan on political grounds. We have never politicised Omagh and we resent politicians trying to gain from it themselves.
"Painting this as a dispute between the Chief Constable and Mrs O'Loan will only delay our fight for justice."
Victor Barker, who lost his son James in the bombing, did not attend today's meeting but was due to speak with the Chief Constable by telephone afterwards.
"I hope he can back up his denials with facts but my chief concern is the investigation can be eventually concluded and the bombers brought to justice. "This petty squabble between Mrs O'Loan and the Chief Constable just causes more and more delays and takes away from what should be the main focus," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0826
Published Date: 24-Jan-02
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