NEW ROW AS OMAGH FAMILIES MOURN
NEW ROW AS OMAGH FAMILIES MOURN
By Ciaran O'Neill
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims were today due to gather in the town for a service to mark the fourth anniversary of the atrocity
The families of the 29 people and two unborn twins killed in the 1998 Real IRA attack will take part in an inter-denominational service at a memorial garden in the town.
As the relatives gathered for the emotional service, a new row broke out between police and Sinn Fein about the investigation into the attack. The police chief leading the investigation yesterday urged Sinn Fein to call on republicans with information about the bombing to come forward. In a renewed appeal for help in finding the bombers, Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter said Sinn Fein should "examine its conscience" and assist the investigation.
"What we have is a coded message that certain republican elements do not believe that the people of Omagh were murdered, that the people who carried out the atrocity are murderers," said Mr Baxter.
"Rather the message is that they are a result of a war situation."
Omagh Victims Group spokesman, Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the bombing, questioned Sinn Fein's reluctance to help the investigation.
"It is disappointing that people who say they are part of the democratic process are denying the families of Omagh the basic right to justice and they themselves are the first to demand justice," said Mr Gallagher.
Sinn Fein's chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, said his party did not run any campaign to dissuade people from giving information about the Omagh bomb, but stressed that they could not support the police investigation.
"Our position is we will not endorse, by implication even, the Special Branch, and it is one of the main issues that we are dealing with the British Government. We do not have an acceptable policing service," he said.
Today's memorial service in Omagh, which was due to begin at 1pm, was organised by the Omagh Churches Forum.
Omagh District Council's chief executive, Danny McSorley, will lay a wreath after the service in memory of those died in the attack.
By Ciaran O'Neill
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims were today due to gather in the town for a service to mark the fourth anniversary of the atrocity
The families of the 29 people and two unborn twins killed in the 1998 Real IRA attack will take part in an inter-denominational service at a memorial garden in the town.
As the relatives gathered for the emotional service, a new row broke out between police and Sinn Fein about the investigation into the attack. The police chief leading the investigation yesterday urged Sinn Fein to call on republicans with information about the bombing to come forward. In a renewed appeal for help in finding the bombers, Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter said Sinn Fein should "examine its conscience" and assist the investigation.
"What we have is a coded message that certain republican elements do not believe that the people of Omagh were murdered, that the people who carried out the atrocity are murderers," said Mr Baxter.
"Rather the message is that they are a result of a war situation."
Omagh Victims Group spokesman, Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the bombing, questioned Sinn Fein's reluctance to help the investigation.
"It is disappointing that people who say they are part of the democratic process are denying the families of Omagh the basic right to justice and they themselves are the first to demand justice," said Mr Gallagher.
Sinn Fein's chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, said his party did not run any campaign to dissuade people from giving information about the Omagh bomb, but stressed that they could not support the police investigation.
"Our position is we will not endorse, by implication even, the Special Branch, and it is one of the main issues that we are dealing with the British Government. We do not have an acceptable policing service," he said.
Today's memorial service in Omagh, which was due to begin at 1pm, was organised by the Omagh Churches Forum.
Omagh District Council's chief executive, Danny McSorley, will lay a wreath after the service in memory of those died in the attack.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0867
Published Date: 15-Aug-02
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