VICTIM'S SNAP MAY HELP HUNT FOR KILLERS
Victim's snap may help hunt for killers
By Ciara Murray
A SNAPSHOT taken by a victim of the Omagh bomb minutes before they were killed in the blast could help police catch the killers.
The photograph of the peaceful, sunny scene in Market Street captures the red Vauxhall Cavalier minutes before it exploded killing 28, including the photographer, and injuring over 200.
The picture, which has been released as part of a poster campaign aimed at jogging memories, was processed by police after a disposable camera, which survived the blast, was discovered among the rubble.
The photographer is believed to have been one of the Spanish tourists killed that day: 12-year-old Spanish boy Fernando Blasco or his 23-year-old teacher Rocio Abad Amos.
Fernando was a pupil at a Jesuit college in Madrid and was staying with a family in Donegal to learn English.
His sister Lucrecia (14) suffered facial injuries in the explosion.
Rocio, a student in Madrid, was spending her summer holidays in Ireland as a supervisor to the Spanish children. She was one of three teachers escorting the 40 children from Donegal on the day trip to Omagh.
Police have blanked out the subjects of the photograph to protect their identities as a mark of respect to the dead and injured.
Police have described the find as a major breakthrough. An RUC spokesman said: "We are not sure exactly how long before the bomb exploded that the photograph was taken. Up to now we have been describing the car and how it was parked but this is the first picture we have of it. We are hoping that it will jog people's memories."
Speaking on UTV's Crimestoppers last night RUC Detective Chief Supt Eric Anderson who is heading the inquiry said: "The response to date has been absolutely marvellous but we need more."
The programme featured a reconstruction of the route believed to have been taken by the car with both its original southern registration plates. 91 DL 2554 and its false Northern Ireland registration MDZ 5211.
Police are hoping the reconstruction will help the public fill in the gaps in their information and lead to the identification of the bombers.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on Omagh 01662 246979/256676/246177 or on the confidential line 0800 666999
By Ciara Murray
A SNAPSHOT taken by a victim of the Omagh bomb minutes before they were killed in the blast could help police catch the killers.
The photograph of the peaceful, sunny scene in Market Street captures the red Vauxhall Cavalier minutes before it exploded killing 28, including the photographer, and injuring over 200.
The picture, which has been released as part of a poster campaign aimed at jogging memories, was processed by police after a disposable camera, which survived the blast, was discovered among the rubble.
The photographer is believed to have been one of the Spanish tourists killed that day: 12-year-old Spanish boy Fernando Blasco or his 23-year-old teacher Rocio Abad Amos.
Fernando was a pupil at a Jesuit college in Madrid and was staying with a family in Donegal to learn English.
His sister Lucrecia (14) suffered facial injuries in the explosion.
Rocio, a student in Madrid, was spending her summer holidays in Ireland as a supervisor to the Spanish children. She was one of three teachers escorting the 40 children from Donegal on the day trip to Omagh.
Police have blanked out the subjects of the photograph to protect their identities as a mark of respect to the dead and injured.
Police have described the find as a major breakthrough. An RUC spokesman said: "We are not sure exactly how long before the bomb exploded that the photograph was taken. Up to now we have been describing the car and how it was parked but this is the first picture we have of it. We are hoping that it will jog people's memories."
Speaking on UTV's Crimestoppers last night RUC Detective Chief Supt Eric Anderson who is heading the inquiry said: "The response to date has been absolutely marvellous but we need more."
The programme featured a reconstruction of the route believed to have been taken by the car with both its original southern registration plates. 91 DL 2554 and its false Northern Ireland registration MDZ 5211.
Police are hoping the reconstruction will help the public fill in the gaps in their information and lead to the identification of the bombers.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on Omagh 01662 246979/256676/246177 or on the confidential line 0800 666999
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0167
Published Date: 24-Aug-98
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