BLAIR MORE CONVINCED THAN AHERN OF AN END TO KILLINGS
Blair more convinced than Ahern of an end to killings
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister emerged last night with contrasting views on the peace process nine days after the bombing atrocity.
Mr Blair is due to deliver a message of hope when he flies into Belfast tomorrow by saying he believes the huge explosion which killed 28 people has brought the people of the province closer together.
Mr Blair will say: "Good can come out of this evil. It could be the final horrific event which closes this chapter in Irish history forever.''
But, in stark contrast, Mr Ahern yesterday expressed doubts that the Omagh massacre would be the last. "I would love to say to you that I believe this is the last event, as I would have loved to say it on a number of the last events,'' he said.
"But I think there is a small element, and they are small, who do not share that feeling. They believed they have some kind of mandate.''
Mr Blair will tomorrow announce details of new security measures which Britain hopes will help to ensure that the Omagh bombing will be the last major atrocity of the Troubles.
Provisions to allow convictions for membership of banned terrorist organisations on the sworn testimony of one senior police officer are likely to be central to Mr Blair's package of anti-terrorist measures.
The use of telephone tapping in trials of suspected terrorists is also being considered.
At the moment, transcripts of tapped telephone conversations are available only for intelligence use and are not admissible as evidence in court. Mr Blair has rejected the idea of sending in the SAS to 'take out' known members of the Real IRA behind the Omagh bomb. He said both the British and Irish Governments were determined to give the security forces the best legal framework in which to hunt down the terrorists.
But he insisted the government must only use democratic methods to defeat the Real IRA.
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister emerged last night with contrasting views on the peace process nine days after the bombing atrocity.
Mr Blair is due to deliver a message of hope when he flies into Belfast tomorrow by saying he believes the huge explosion which killed 28 people has brought the people of the province closer together.
Mr Blair will say: "Good can come out of this evil. It could be the final horrific event which closes this chapter in Irish history forever.''
But, in stark contrast, Mr Ahern yesterday expressed doubts that the Omagh massacre would be the last. "I would love to say to you that I believe this is the last event, as I would have loved to say it on a number of the last events,'' he said.
"But I think there is a small element, and they are small, who do not share that feeling. They believed they have some kind of mandate.''
Mr Blair will tomorrow announce details of new security measures which Britain hopes will help to ensure that the Omagh bombing will be the last major atrocity of the Troubles.
Provisions to allow convictions for membership of banned terrorist organisations on the sworn testimony of one senior police officer are likely to be central to Mr Blair's package of anti-terrorist measures.
The use of telephone tapping in trials of suspected terrorists is also being considered.
At the moment, transcripts of tapped telephone conversations are available only for intelligence use and are not admissible as evidence in court. Mr Blair has rejected the idea of sending in the SAS to 'take out' known members of the Real IRA behind the Omagh bomb. He said both the British and Irish Governments were determined to give the security forces the best legal framework in which to hunt down the terrorists.
But he insisted the government must only use democratic methods to defeat the Real IRA.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/108
Published Date: 24-Aug-98
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