OMAGH FAMILIES TO MEET NEW CID TEAM
Omagh families to meet new CID team
Assurance of access to information is sought
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims will tonight have their first meeting with the new team of detectives put in place after a damning report into the investigation. Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of those killed when a massive bomb exploded in the Tyrone town in August 1998, said they would be investigating whether the recommendations of Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report, issued late last year, have been followed up. Mrs O'Loan's report accused senior police officers, including former Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan, of flawed judgment and lack of leadership in the follow-up to the atrocity. It also claimed that Special Branch failed to pass intelligence to police in Omagh that dissident republicans were planning an attack. Since the report, two senior officers from Merseyside have been appointed to advise the investigation. "The report said that Special Branch did not supply all of its intelligence to the investigating team," said Mr Gallagher.
"We will be asking if this new team has full access to all the information connected with this crime."
A total of 29 people, including a woman with unborn twins, were killed in the Real IRA blast and relatives are hoping that the new team led by Senior Investigating Officer Norman Baxter will achieve results.
"We will be hoping that people will be brought forward to the courts as soon as possible," added Mr Gallagher.
"We are coming up to the fourth anniversary and we don't want to be meeting new teams 30 years on. We want some resolution to this."
Assurance of access to information is sought
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims will tonight have their first meeting with the new team of detectives put in place after a damning report into the investigation. Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of those killed when a massive bomb exploded in the Tyrone town in August 1998, said they would be investigating whether the recommendations of Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report, issued late last year, have been followed up. Mrs O'Loan's report accused senior police officers, including former Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan, of flawed judgment and lack of leadership in the follow-up to the atrocity. It also claimed that Special Branch failed to pass intelligence to police in Omagh that dissident republicans were planning an attack. Since the report, two senior officers from Merseyside have been appointed to advise the investigation. "The report said that Special Branch did not supply all of its intelligence to the investigating team," said Mr Gallagher.
"We will be asking if this new team has full access to all the information connected with this crime."
A total of 29 people, including a woman with unborn twins, were killed in the Real IRA blast and relatives are hoping that the new team led by Senior Investigating Officer Norman Baxter will achieve results.
"We will be hoping that people will be brought forward to the courts as soon as possible," added Mr Gallagher.
"We are coming up to the fourth anniversary and we don't want to be meeting new teams 30 years on. We want some resolution to this."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0862
Published Date: 16-Jul-02
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