ALLIANCE IN CROSS-BORDER BID OVER OMAGH BOMBING
Alliance in cross-border bid over Omagh bombing
BY DEBORAH McALEESE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
dmcaleese@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE Assembly was today due to be asked to consider support for the establishment of cross-border legal powers to obtain security force intelligence evidence into the Omagh bomb.
A motion was due to be placed before the Assembly by the Alliance party calling for the creation of a "formal, cross-border, legally binding process" which is designed to secure "full disclosure from the intelligence services and security forces in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland", in a bid to establish what relevant information they had before and immediately after the 1998 attack.
A total of 29 people and unborn twins were killed in the attack, which was the worst single atrocity of the Troubles.
Alliance leader David Ford said he hopes to win cross-party support for the motion.
"The issue now is to get the truth out for the people of Omagh," said Mr Ford.
"They know it was dissident republicans that caused the bomb - what they have a right to know is what information the security services held before and immediately after the bombing."
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh support and self-help group, has urged all MLAs to support the motion.
"It is the first time that the MLAs of all parties can politically support the families and bring public closure to Omagh," he said.
Last December, south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey (38) was cleared of involvement following a lengthy trial.
A civil case brought by the bereaved families against five men they believe were involved in the 1998 bombing is ongoing.
The Omagh families have always raised questions over the investigation into the bomb and the controversy over the investigation reignited last month after it emerged that the UK's eavesdropping centre GCHQ had been monitoring the Real IRA bombers on the day of the massacre.
BY DEBORAH McALEESE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
dmcaleese@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE Assembly was today due to be asked to consider support for the establishment of cross-border legal powers to obtain security force intelligence evidence into the Omagh bomb.
A motion was due to be placed before the Assembly by the Alliance party calling for the creation of a "formal, cross-border, legally binding process" which is designed to secure "full disclosure from the intelligence services and security forces in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland", in a bid to establish what relevant information they had before and immediately after the 1998 attack.
A total of 29 people and unborn twins were killed in the attack, which was the worst single atrocity of the Troubles.
Alliance leader David Ford said he hopes to win cross-party support for the motion.
"The issue now is to get the truth out for the people of Omagh," said Mr Ford.
"They know it was dissident republicans that caused the bomb - what they have a right to know is what information the security services held before and immediately after the bombing."
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh support and self-help group, has urged all MLAs to support the motion.
"It is the first time that the MLAs of all parties can politically support the families and bring public closure to Omagh," he said.
Last December, south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey (38) was cleared of involvement following a lengthy trial.
A civil case brought by the bereaved families against five men they believe were involved in the 1998 bombing is ongoing.
The Omagh families have always raised questions over the investigation into the bomb and the controversy over the investigation reignited last month after it emerged that the UK's eavesdropping centre GCHQ had been monitoring the Real IRA bombers on the day of the massacre.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1119
Published Date: 14-Oct-08
Related Images
