HUNT DOWN THE KILLERS
Hunt down the killers
By DOMINIC CUNNINGHAM and ANNEMARIA McENEANEY
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair stood together last night in defiance of the butchers who murdered 28 people and injured hundreds more.
As the nation's horror turned to anger they vowed to hunt down the renegade republicans responsible for the slaughter of men, women and children in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
And their views were echoed by President Mary McAleese, who told the bombers: "We want you off our backs.''
The Irish and British governments united in their determination to keep the Good Friday Agreement on course and to lock up those responsible for this "act of unspeakable evil".
After a day of heart-breaking scenes in Omagh, as relatives and friends came to grips with the sheer scale of the carnage, the two governments engaged in a round of intense contacts culminating in a face-to-face meeting between Mr Ahern and Mr Blair at Stormont.
A joint statement issued there by the two leaders underscored their determination to face down dissident republicans �glaigh n h�ireann, who carried out the attack.
Mr Blair also held an emergency meeting with North First Minister David Trimble last night after he had visited the injured at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
SDLP leader John Hume called on the two governments and all the political parties to stand together behind the Belfast Agreement and the new institutions.
He said the "fascists'' responsible for the outrage must never be allowed to derail what the people had voted for.
Justice Minister John O'Donoghue, North Secretary Mo Mowlam, the RUC Chief Constable and the Garda Commissioner are to hold emergency talks today on the options available in the wake of the increasing violence by fanatical republicans.
The two police chiefs will report immediately to Mr Ahern and Mr Blair, who both pledged yesterday they would take whatever action was necessary to crush the killers.
The three-day security review will culminate in a full Cabinet meeting on Wednesday when the Government is expected to decide if extra powers are needed to combat the republican splinter groups.
In the US, President Bill Clinton restated his support for the peace process, and indicated he would pay his respects to the Omagh victims when he visits the North in two weeks time.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, in his strongest ever condemnation of republican violence, said he was ``stunned'' by what had happened and called on those responsible to recognise the enormity of what they had done.
By DOMINIC CUNNINGHAM and ANNEMARIA McENEANEY
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair stood together last night in defiance of the butchers who murdered 28 people and injured hundreds more.
As the nation's horror turned to anger they vowed to hunt down the renegade republicans responsible for the slaughter of men, women and children in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
And their views were echoed by President Mary McAleese, who told the bombers: "We want you off our backs.''
The Irish and British governments united in their determination to keep the Good Friday Agreement on course and to lock up those responsible for this "act of unspeakable evil".
After a day of heart-breaking scenes in Omagh, as relatives and friends came to grips with the sheer scale of the carnage, the two governments engaged in a round of intense contacts culminating in a face-to-face meeting between Mr Ahern and Mr Blair at Stormont.
A joint statement issued there by the two leaders underscored their determination to face down dissident republicans �glaigh n h�ireann, who carried out the attack.
Mr Blair also held an emergency meeting with North First Minister David Trimble last night after he had visited the injured at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
SDLP leader John Hume called on the two governments and all the political parties to stand together behind the Belfast Agreement and the new institutions.
He said the "fascists'' responsible for the outrage must never be allowed to derail what the people had voted for.
Justice Minister John O'Donoghue, North Secretary Mo Mowlam, the RUC Chief Constable and the Garda Commissioner are to hold emergency talks today on the options available in the wake of the increasing violence by fanatical republicans.
The two police chiefs will report immediately to Mr Ahern and Mr Blair, who both pledged yesterday they would take whatever action was necessary to crush the killers.
The three-day security review will culminate in a full Cabinet meeting on Wednesday when the Government is expected to decide if extra powers are needed to combat the republican splinter groups.
In the US, President Bill Clinton restated his support for the peace process, and indicated he would pay his respects to the Omagh victims when he visits the North in two weeks time.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, in his strongest ever condemnation of republican violence, said he was ``stunned'' by what had happened and called on those responsible to recognise the enormity of what they had done.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/001
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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