POLICE FAILED TO INFORM RUC OF VITAL TIP-OFF
Police 'failed to inform RUC of vital tip-off
By Paul Dykes
RELATIVES of the victims of the Omagh bombing were due to meet the Home Secretary today as a top-level panel in the Republic began investigating new claims of police inaction linked to 1998 massacre. A claim by a Garda officer that his colleagues sat on crucial information that might have stopped the bombers was today being investigated by a team of legal experts in Dublin.
A Donegal-based detective sergeant has risked his career by going public on his claims that he gave vital information to his superiors that was never passed on to the then RUC. The sergeant, who was suspended during an inquiry into misbehaviour by some gardai in Donegal, said a proven informant had told him of preparations for an attack by the Real IRA. The informant had been instrumental in the seizure of a bomb-laden BMW at the Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal in 1998, just weeks before the Omagh blast that killed 29 people in August.
The garda said he was told by his RIRA informant that the informant had been instructed to steal a car for a new attack, but was later told not to bother, as sufficient vehicles had already been obtained. The sergeant said no action was taken by the Garda when he passed on this information, but Garda Special Branch should have immediately started profiling cars that could have been used in an attack, and should have relayed the information to the RUC. The sergeant claimed that these vehicles were subsequently used in bomb attacks on Omagh Belleek and Lisburn that summer. He was introduced to Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan by a member of the Omagh victims group Michael Gallagher whose son Aidan was among those killed. While not having any misgivings about the role of the RUC in relation to the claims Ms O'Loan did take her concerns personally to the Republic's foreign minister, Brian Cowan.
The Irish government has now set up a three-person investigation panel to probe he claims. An anti-terrorist chief in Dublin has refuted the claims, saying: "There was nothing in this information that related specifically to Omagh. But what we had, we passed on to the RUC in accordance with our established procedures." The Garda declined to comment officially on the claims to the Belfast Telegraph today.
Mr Gallagher, who is part of a delegation meeting the Home Secretary David Blunkett in London today, remains unconvinced about the co-operation between the two police forces. "It didn't exist, and we have the evidence to prove it," he said before today's meeting.
"The British and Irish governments led us to believe that there was unprecedented co-operation, but that was only a myth."
By Paul Dykes
RELATIVES of the victims of the Omagh bombing were due to meet the Home Secretary today as a top-level panel in the Republic began investigating new claims of police inaction linked to 1998 massacre. A claim by a Garda officer that his colleagues sat on crucial information that might have stopped the bombers was today being investigated by a team of legal experts in Dublin.
A Donegal-based detective sergeant has risked his career by going public on his claims that he gave vital information to his superiors that was never passed on to the then RUC. The sergeant, who was suspended during an inquiry into misbehaviour by some gardai in Donegal, said a proven informant had told him of preparations for an attack by the Real IRA. The informant had been instrumental in the seizure of a bomb-laden BMW at the Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal in 1998, just weeks before the Omagh blast that killed 29 people in August.
The garda said he was told by his RIRA informant that the informant had been instructed to steal a car for a new attack, but was later told not to bother, as sufficient vehicles had already been obtained. The sergeant said no action was taken by the Garda when he passed on this information, but Garda Special Branch should have immediately started profiling cars that could have been used in an attack, and should have relayed the information to the RUC. The sergeant claimed that these vehicles were subsequently used in bomb attacks on Omagh Belleek and Lisburn that summer. He was introduced to Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan by a member of the Omagh victims group Michael Gallagher whose son Aidan was among those killed. While not having any misgivings about the role of the RUC in relation to the claims Ms O'Loan did take her concerns personally to the Republic's foreign minister, Brian Cowan.
The Irish government has now set up a three-person investigation panel to probe he claims. An anti-terrorist chief in Dublin has refuted the claims, saying: "There was nothing in this information that related specifically to Omagh. But what we had, we passed on to the RUC in accordance with our established procedures." The Garda declined to comment officially on the claims to the Belfast Telegraph today.
Mr Gallagher, who is part of a delegation meeting the Home Secretary David Blunkett in London today, remains unconvinced about the co-operation between the two police forces. "It didn't exist, and we have the evidence to prove it," he said before today's meeting.
"The British and Irish governments led us to believe that there was unprecedented co-operation, but that was only a myth."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0853
Published Date: 09-May-02
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.