APPEAL BY VICTIM'S DAD IS REJECTED
Appeal by victim's dad is rejected
BY ALAN MURRAY
MARTIN McGuinness has again refused to urge republicans to come forward and provide crucial information about the Omagh bombers.
On Friday, Mr McGuinness told the father of one of the victims that the group responsible for the attack had recently declared him a "legitimate target", and he questioned whose agenda the Real IRA was working to then and now.
The exchange with Victor Barker, whose son James died at Omagh, took place as families gathered in Omagh to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Real IRA attack. In a message to Mr McGuinness, Mr Barker asked if it was now time for him to urge people to come forward and give statements with a view to securing a criminal conviction.
And he told Mr McGuinness to examine his conscience and help bring the bombers to justice. In a series of text messages, Mr McGuinness and Mr Barker briefly discussed Omagh.
Mr McGuinness said he supported Michael Gallagher's call for an independent tribunal to examine all aspects of the bombing.
He added: "The group responsible for the Omagh bomb
recently declared me a legitimate target, I often wonder whose agenda they were working to 10 years ago and now."
Mr Barker replied: "Martin the police did not plant the bomb your former associates did now is the time to examine your conscience and to help us secure a criminal conviction."
Mr Barker said yesterday that once again he felt Mr McGuinness had failed to step up to the mark: "I have been here before with Martin McGuinness. What he said to me yesterday by text was largely what he has said before. He won't take that further step to help bring these killers to justice."
BY ALAN MURRAY
MARTIN McGuinness has again refused to urge republicans to come forward and provide crucial information about the Omagh bombers.
On Friday, Mr McGuinness told the father of one of the victims that the group responsible for the attack had recently declared him a "legitimate target", and he questioned whose agenda the Real IRA was working to then and now.
The exchange with Victor Barker, whose son James died at Omagh, took place as families gathered in Omagh to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Real IRA attack. In a message to Mr McGuinness, Mr Barker asked if it was now time for him to urge people to come forward and give statements with a view to securing a criminal conviction.
And he told Mr McGuinness to examine his conscience and help bring the bombers to justice. In a series of text messages, Mr McGuinness and Mr Barker briefly discussed Omagh.
Mr McGuinness said he supported Michael Gallagher's call for an independent tribunal to examine all aspects of the bombing.
He added: "The group responsible for the Omagh bomb
recently declared me a legitimate target, I often wonder whose agenda they were working to 10 years ago and now."
Mr Barker replied: "Martin the police did not plant the bomb your former associates did now is the time to examine your conscience and to help us secure a criminal conviction."
Mr Barker said yesterday that once again he felt Mr McGuinness had failed to step up to the mark: "I have been here before with Martin McGuinness. What he said to me yesterday by text was largely what he has said before. He won't take that further step to help bring these killers to justice."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT10An/42
Published Date: 18-Aug-08
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