IF WE TURN A BLIND EYE WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER OMAGH
If we turn a blind eye, we could have another Omagh
BY REBECCA BLACK
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE warning that a major bomb attack like Omagh could happen again must listened to, a member of the Policing Board has urged. A former senior policeman in charge of the Omagh investigation has warned that "a blind eye was being turned to dissidents" and that one of the worst explosions of the Troubles could be repeated.
Twenty-nine people were killed and hundreds injured following the car bomb left in the bustling town by the Real IRA 11 years ago. Norman Baxter's stark words came as he gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee last night.
The former head of the PSNI Serious Crime Branch said the Government was repeating the same mistakes now.
He compared the current situation to the 'Emperor's New Clothes' where everyone carried on pretending everything was normal.
"We have a blind eye being turned to dissident activity and I have to say that the border is exposed again," he said.
"It would be remiss of me not to advise this committee that you could be sitting here in 10 years time discussing another atrocity because the Government and the authorities have failed to acknowledge what is happening."
DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt, who sits on the Policing Board, described Mr Baxter as "highly respected" and said "the jury was out" on whether the PSNI is currently resourced to cope with the high dissident threat.
"Police have been dramatically cut since Omagh, their numbers have been cut in half, I think there is a question on the availability of resources, the incident at Meigh clearly showed that," he said.
"From a resourcing point of view police could do with a lot more, this is certainly a concern which is being expressed.
"Baxter is a highly respected police officer, the warning he has given should be listened to.
"Police officers are being warned to be vigilant.
"We have been expressing concerns on the closing of police stations particularly in the border areas. We have visited police stations around the Fermanagh border and we are concerned there is not enough protection of police officers around that area."
Mr Baxter who has now retired from the police also said the Omagh bomb could have been prevented if intelligence had been shared.
"These bombers then had free rein from the middle of 1997 and the authorities, whoever they were, allowed that to continue," he told the committee.
"At each one of those terrorist incidents there was a point of intervention which could have disrupted this terror gang. There could have been opportunities to arrest this gang after Lisburn, after bombs in May (1998), July and even after Banbridge.
"The investigators didn't have access to the intelligence, not to prevent those incidents, but to ensure that the investigators after those incidents would have had an opportunity to have the suspects arrested prior to the Omagh bomb."
Michael Gallagher who lost his son 21-year-old son Aiden in the massacre said it was time for the British and Irish governments to "hold their hands up".
"I felt relieved when I saw what Norman Baxter was saying because this is what the families have been saying for years," he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"I think that this demonstrates why the families want a public inquiry, the truth has never been told about Omagh.
"We were getting bits and pieces of this information before, it was common sense, we had a whole series of bombings but the Government said it was only a small organisation.
"Government and police seemed unable to apprehend them, there had to be another explanation.
"It is time for both Governments to hold their hands up, they could have done better."
BY REBECCA BLACK
newseditor@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
THE warning that a major bomb attack like Omagh could happen again must listened to, a member of the Policing Board has urged. A former senior policeman in charge of the Omagh investigation has warned that "a blind eye was being turned to dissidents" and that one of the worst explosions of the Troubles could be repeated.
Twenty-nine people were killed and hundreds injured following the car bomb left in the bustling town by the Real IRA 11 years ago. Norman Baxter's stark words came as he gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee last night.
The former head of the PSNI Serious Crime Branch said the Government was repeating the same mistakes now.
He compared the current situation to the 'Emperor's New Clothes' where everyone carried on pretending everything was normal.
"We have a blind eye being turned to dissident activity and I have to say that the border is exposed again," he said.
"It would be remiss of me not to advise this committee that you could be sitting here in 10 years time discussing another atrocity because the Government and the authorities have failed to acknowledge what is happening."
DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt, who sits on the Policing Board, described Mr Baxter as "highly respected" and said "the jury was out" on whether the PSNI is currently resourced to cope with the high dissident threat.
"Police have been dramatically cut since Omagh, their numbers have been cut in half, I think there is a question on the availability of resources, the incident at Meigh clearly showed that," he said.
"From a resourcing point of view police could do with a lot more, this is certainly a concern which is being expressed.
"Baxter is a highly respected police officer, the warning he has given should be listened to.
"Police officers are being warned to be vigilant.
"We have been expressing concerns on the closing of police stations particularly in the border areas. We have visited police stations around the Fermanagh border and we are concerned there is not enough protection of police officers around that area."
Mr Baxter who has now retired from the police also said the Omagh bomb could have been prevented if intelligence had been shared.
"These bombers then had free rein from the middle of 1997 and the authorities, whoever they were, allowed that to continue," he told the committee.
"At each one of those terrorist incidents there was a point of intervention which could have disrupted this terror gang. There could have been opportunities to arrest this gang after Lisburn, after bombs in May (1998), July and even after Banbridge.
"The investigators didn't have access to the intelligence, not to prevent those incidents, but to ensure that the investigators after those incidents would have had an opportunity to have the suspects arrested prior to the Omagh bomb."
Michael Gallagher who lost his son 21-year-old son Aiden in the massacre said it was time for the British and Irish governments to "hold their hands up".
"I felt relieved when I saw what Norman Baxter was saying because this is what the families have been saying for years," he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"I think that this demonstrates why the families want a public inquiry, the truth has never been told about Omagh.
"We were getting bits and pieces of this information before, it was common sense, we had a whole series of bombings but the Government said it was only a small organisation.
"Government and police seemed unable to apprehend them, there had to be another explanation.
"It is time for both Governments to hold their hands up, they could have done better."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1174
Published Date: 12-Nov-09
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