OMAGH: RUC HAD FOUR WARNINGS
Omagh: RUC was warned four times
By Sharon O'Neill
Chief Reporter
SPECIAL BRANCH came under an avalanche of criticism last night following damning revelations that police received two more warnings of dissident republican attacks in the days leading up to the Omagh bombing.
Details of the threats - contained in an internal police review of the bomb probe which uncovered a litany of errors - have been released into the public domain for the first time. They bring to four the total number of warnings received by police prior to the Real IRA explosion in Omagh on August 15 1998 which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.
Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's damning report into the police investigation had uncovered two warnings prior to the blast - one from an anonymous caller of an attack in Omagh on the day of the bombing and a tip-off by double agent Kevin Fulton that the Real IRA was preparing a bomb destined for an unknown location in Northern Ireland.
Last night a Channel Four 4 investigation detailed another two warnings, one the day before the worst single atrocity of the troubles, which was allegedly not properly acted upon.
A memo allegedly written by a Special Branch detective said a threat was received on August 11 1998 that dissidents were "planning an operation" and another on August 14 that dissidents had "incendiary devices for use against commercial targets".
Last night relatives told of their deep distress at the latest revelations and said they were baffled as to why police did not flag up Omagh as a possible target despite the four warnings.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the blast, said: "Relatives I have spoken to find it difficult to take in that there was that much information before the bomb and so little was done to prevent it on the day.
"We are getting these revelations on a monthly basis. Where is it going to end? What is complicated about the truth? How long can they keep going before the resist a public inquiry?"
Marion Radford, whose 16-year-old son Alan was killed, said the latest revelations has compounded her grief.
"It (Omagh bombing) should never have happened. It is something you can never come to terms with," she said.
Last night a police spokesman refused to comment on the new claims, adding: "We remain determined to catch the people responsible for this outrage."
A spokesman for the Ombudsman's office confirmed the two warnings were contained in the internal review of the murder probe and were taken into account in Nuala O'Loan's report.
Next week Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Dan Crompton will deliver his findings of a review into the handling of information by Special Branch - already under scrutiny over allegations of collusion with loyalist paramilitaries.
By Sharon O'Neill
Chief Reporter
SPECIAL BRANCH came under an avalanche of criticism last night following damning revelations that police received two more warnings of dissident republican attacks in the days leading up to the Omagh bombing.
Details of the threats - contained in an internal police review of the bomb probe which uncovered a litany of errors - have been released into the public domain for the first time. They bring to four the total number of warnings received by police prior to the Real IRA explosion in Omagh on August 15 1998 which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.
Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's damning report into the police investigation had uncovered two warnings prior to the blast - one from an anonymous caller of an attack in Omagh on the day of the bombing and a tip-off by double agent Kevin Fulton that the Real IRA was preparing a bomb destined for an unknown location in Northern Ireland.
Last night a Channel Four 4 investigation detailed another two warnings, one the day before the worst single atrocity of the troubles, which was allegedly not properly acted upon.
A memo allegedly written by a Special Branch detective said a threat was received on August 11 1998 that dissidents were "planning an operation" and another on August 14 that dissidents had "incendiary devices for use against commercial targets".
Last night relatives told of their deep distress at the latest revelations and said they were baffled as to why police did not flag up Omagh as a possible target despite the four warnings.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the blast, said: "Relatives I have spoken to find it difficult to take in that there was that much information before the bomb and so little was done to prevent it on the day.
"We are getting these revelations on a monthly basis. Where is it going to end? What is complicated about the truth? How long can they keep going before the resist a public inquiry?"
Marion Radford, whose 16-year-old son Alan was killed, said the latest revelations has compounded her grief.
"It (Omagh bombing) should never have happened. It is something you can never come to terms with," she said.
Last night a police spokesman refused to comment on the new claims, adding: "We remain determined to catch the people responsible for this outrage."
A spokesman for the Ombudsman's office confirmed the two warnings were contained in the internal review of the murder probe and were taken into account in Nuala O'Loan's report.
Next week Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Dan Crompton will deliver his findings of a review into the handling of information by Special Branch - already under scrutiny over allegations of collusion with loyalist paramilitaries.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0581
Published Date: 29-Oct-02
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