BT/0950

Omagh police snub rights chief
By Deric Henderson

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission chief Brice Dickson was refused a meeting with police to discuss their investigation into the Omagh bomb atrocity, it has been revealed.
With the British and Irish governments under increasing pressure to agree demands for a full public inquiry into the August 1998 attack which left 29 people dead, outraged victims' relatives hit out at the decision to turn down Professor Dickson's request for talks.
He has already examined a number of files compiled by the families and has also been urged to back their campaign for a full-scale cross-border judicial hearing.
Godfrey Wilson, whose daughter Lorraine (15) was killed in the Real IRA car bombing, said: "The investigation team should be willing to meet with anyone who is looking for justice and who wants to safeguard the rights of innocent victims.
"It's crazy they couldn't bring themselves to see him and we are all very disappointed."
Detectives are to question a Special Branch officer in a bid to trace the source of an anonymous telephone call which warned of a planned attack which was to take place in Omagh on the day of the bombing.
He is likely to be interviewed within the next few weeks.
The call was made on August 4, 1998, 11 days before Omagh, but the information claiming that police were going to be attacked was never passed on by Special Branch to uniformed officers on the ground. The source of the call has never been identified.
Mr Wilson said: "It seems to me that a cat and mouse game is being played out and it is taking a terrible toll on people's emotions. It stinks."
Professor Dickson has renewed his request for a meeting with the inquiry team which is being headed by Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter.
Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid is overseeing the investigation.
The Dublin-based Irish Human Rights Commission is also likely to be asked to consider giving its support for the public inquiry.
Professor Dickson said: "At the moment, my inclination would be to back the Omagh relatives. But I need more information and to speak with the police to establish what progress has been made.
"It wouldn't be until then before I could make a definitive decision."
In the meantime, the families are pressing ahead with an unprecedented High Court civil action against five men who they claim were responsible for the bombing. The case, in which they are seeking £14m compensation, may go ahead late next year.