FLANAGAN TELLS OF INTERVIEW 'FAILINGS'
Flanagan tells of interview 'failings'
'Officers' offers of help were ignored'
By Sean O'Driscoll
THE Ombudsman's Office failed to interview two key Special Branch Officers, despite the mens' best efforts to make contact, the Chief Constable's statement has claimed. Sir Ronnie Flanagan said that the interviews would relate directly to the central criticisms of the Ombudsman's report, yet the Ombudman's office did not talk to the men.
The statement also claims that nine days before the Ombudsman's office published its scathing report on the Omagh bomb investigation, the two men were told that they would not be interviewed. In heavy dark print, the Chief Constable states: "Had those interviews take place, which bore directly on some of the central criticisms being made by the Ombudsman, not only would the investigators have been fully aware of the comprehensive action taken on receipt of the August 4 information (the anonymous call), but doubts could not genuinely have been cast, very publicly, on the actions of the officers who had acted promptly and professionally throughout."
Mr Flanagan said that on September 28 2001, the Ombudsman's investigators were informed that the two Fermanagh-based Special Branch officers were willing to be interviewed, even through they were then retired and had no obligation to do so.
The officers also explained that they wanted clarification about how certain aspects of the interview would be conducted.
The Ombudsman's office delayed for three weeks before responding to the officer's queries. The Chief Constable said that the Ombudman's Office were aware that a Special Branch liaison officer at Police Headquarters was away on a course when the response came in, and so the officers did not recieve the response until November 24,2001. Five days later, one of the officers telephoned the Ombudsman's Office to arrange an appointment and agreed to an interview date on December 5, 2001. The second officer rang the Ombudsman's office on December 3 to do the same, but both men were told that the interviews would not be going ahead. The statement says that these would have been "key interviews" in the report. The Chief Constable's statement also says that the Special Branch was not a "force within a force" and had to deal with a large amount of information.
In the financial year 1998/99, Special Branch received some 14,000 items of information.
In Omagh Sub-Division alone, 39 Action Sheets were issued by Special Branch between May and September 1998.
'Officers' offers of help were ignored'
By Sean O'Driscoll
THE Ombudsman's Office failed to interview two key Special Branch Officers, despite the mens' best efforts to make contact, the Chief Constable's statement has claimed. Sir Ronnie Flanagan said that the interviews would relate directly to the central criticisms of the Ombudsman's report, yet the Ombudman's office did not talk to the men.
The statement also claims that nine days before the Ombudsman's office published its scathing report on the Omagh bomb investigation, the two men were told that they would not be interviewed. In heavy dark print, the Chief Constable states: "Had those interviews take place, which bore directly on some of the central criticisms being made by the Ombudsman, not only would the investigators have been fully aware of the comprehensive action taken on receipt of the August 4 information (the anonymous call), but doubts could not genuinely have been cast, very publicly, on the actions of the officers who had acted promptly and professionally throughout."
Mr Flanagan said that on September 28 2001, the Ombudsman's investigators were informed that the two Fermanagh-based Special Branch officers were willing to be interviewed, even through they were then retired and had no obligation to do so.
The officers also explained that they wanted clarification about how certain aspects of the interview would be conducted.
The Ombudsman's office delayed for three weeks before responding to the officer's queries. The Chief Constable said that the Ombudman's Office were aware that a Special Branch liaison officer at Police Headquarters was away on a course when the response came in, and so the officers did not recieve the response until November 24,2001. Five days later, one of the officers telephoned the Ombudsman's Office to arrange an appointment and agreed to an interview date on December 5, 2001. The second officer rang the Ombudsman's office on December 3 to do the same, but both men were told that the interviews would not be going ahead. The statement says that these would have been "key interviews" in the report. The Chief Constable's statement also says that the Special Branch was not a "force within a force" and had to deal with a large amount of information.
In the financial year 1998/99, Special Branch received some 14,000 items of information.
In Omagh Sub-Division alone, 39 Action Sheets were issued by Special Branch between May and September 1998.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0835
Published Date: 24-Jan-02
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