WIDE COVERAGE FOR SIR RONNIES REPORT
Wide coverage for Sir Ronnie's report
By Maeve Connolly
THE CHIEF constable's report to the relatives of Omagh bomb victims was widely covered in the British press yesterday.
The broadsheets gave the most coverage to the five-hour meeting which took place in Omagh on Thursday morning.
Headlines were similar in the The Independent, Times and Daily Telegraph claiming, respectively, that Ronnie Flanagan had failed to 'soothe', 'sway' and 'placate' Omagh relatives.
Along with the Guardian, the Times and the Daily Telegraph reported that relatives sought a public inquiry into the police probe.
The Guardian was the one to carry the story on its front page, using the headline 'Omagh relatives reject chief constable's defence'.
It also gave a further two pages to Sir Ronnie's response to the police ombudsman's scathing report and the relatives' feelings.
The front-page article detailed a "tense five-hour meeting" from which relatives emerged saying they "did not have the answers they needed to have full confidence in the public investigation".
The newspaper also reported that Nuala O'Loan had called for a truce in the war of words with the chief constable.
Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed in the 1998 bomb, was reported as saying the families felt like a tennis ball in a fierce rally between the ombudsman and Sir Ronnie.
The Independent's coverage was in a similar vein with reports the families had "rejected claims" from Sir Ronnie that the police probe had been properly handled.
Its page four headline read 'Police chief fails to soothe Omagh relatives' anger' and claimed they were unimpressed by a "spirited and detailed" attack by Sir Ronnie on Nuala O'Loan's claims.
The Times' page eight story had the headline 'Flanagan fails to sway angry Omagh relatives'.
Sir Ronnie was reported as saying there was still time to bring the 16 Real IRA terrorists, who he believed plotted the 1998 bomb, to justice.
Further into the article it described how Sir Ronnie had failed to impress the relatives and had accused the ombudsman of having done a "grave disservice to the police service".
The opening paragraph in the Daily Telegraph's article ('Ulster police chief fails to placate Omagh families') said relatives had demanded a public inquiry into the police investigation.
Sir Ronnie is reported to have admitted errors were made in the police investigation but said those responsible could still be caught.
The Daily Express and the Daily Mail gave the meeting, which they both labelled 'stormy', less coverage.
The Express had a small story on page 21 which said relatives were to demand a public inquiry into the police investigation after the "stormy meeting".
The Daily Mail's page 27 headline read 'Omagh families' fury over police showdown'.
The families were said to have emerged 'angry and frustrated" from a "stormy confrontation".
Sir Ronnie was described as undergoing a "five-hour grilling" from relatives in The Sun's page eight article with the headline 'Time for results'.
By Maeve Connolly
THE CHIEF constable's report to the relatives of Omagh bomb victims was widely covered in the British press yesterday.
The broadsheets gave the most coverage to the five-hour meeting which took place in Omagh on Thursday morning.
Headlines were similar in the The Independent, Times and Daily Telegraph claiming, respectively, that Ronnie Flanagan had failed to 'soothe', 'sway' and 'placate' Omagh relatives.
Along with the Guardian, the Times and the Daily Telegraph reported that relatives sought a public inquiry into the police probe.
The Guardian was the one to carry the story on its front page, using the headline 'Omagh relatives reject chief constable's defence'.
It also gave a further two pages to Sir Ronnie's response to the police ombudsman's scathing report and the relatives' feelings.
The front-page article detailed a "tense five-hour meeting" from which relatives emerged saying they "did not have the answers they needed to have full confidence in the public investigation".
The newspaper also reported that Nuala O'Loan had called for a truce in the war of words with the chief constable.
Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed in the 1998 bomb, was reported as saying the families felt like a tennis ball in a fierce rally between the ombudsman and Sir Ronnie.
The Independent's coverage was in a similar vein with reports the families had "rejected claims" from Sir Ronnie that the police probe had been properly handled.
Its page four headline read 'Police chief fails to soothe Omagh relatives' anger' and claimed they were unimpressed by a "spirited and detailed" attack by Sir Ronnie on Nuala O'Loan's claims.
The Times' page eight story had the headline 'Flanagan fails to sway angry Omagh relatives'.
Sir Ronnie was reported as saying there was still time to bring the 16 Real IRA terrorists, who he believed plotted the 1998 bomb, to justice.
Further into the article it described how Sir Ronnie had failed to impress the relatives and had accused the ombudsman of having done a "grave disservice to the police service".
The opening paragraph in the Daily Telegraph's article ('Ulster police chief fails to placate Omagh families') said relatives had demanded a public inquiry into the police investigation.
Sir Ronnie is reported to have admitted errors were made in the police investigation but said those responsible could still be caught.
The Daily Express and the Daily Mail gave the meeting, which they both labelled 'stormy', less coverage.
The Express had a small story on page 21 which said relatives were to demand a public inquiry into the police investigation after the "stormy meeting".
The Daily Mail's page 27 headline read 'Omagh families' fury over police showdown'.
The families were said to have emerged 'angry and frustrated" from a "stormy confrontation".
Sir Ronnie was described as undergoing a "five-hour grilling" from relatives in The Sun's page eight article with the headline 'Time for results'.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0540
Published Date: 26-Jan-02
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