BOMB INVESTIGATION IS STILL ACTIVE SAYS POLICE CHIEF
Bomb investigation is still active says police chief
THE senior officer in charge of the Omagh bomb investigation has told of his disappointment that no murder charges have been brought against the Real IRA killers.
Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter who took over as head of the PSNI probe last year insists, that five years on "it is still very much a live investigation" and is "progressing a number of active lines of inquiry".
So far only one person, Colm Murphy, has been convicted in connection with the 1998 attack, but no-one has been charged with murder despite the identity of the killers being known to police on both sides of the border for some time. Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's damning report into the original RUC investigation was prompted by claims by double agent Kevin Fulton that he tipped off his police handlers, three days before the Omagh bombing, that the Real IRA was preparing a "major bomb" destined for the north.
An internal police review of the investigation uncovered a litany of errors, listing over 200 recommendations. The ombudsman concluded that relatives were let down by a "failure of leadership, poor judgment and a lack of urgency". The controversy resulted in a sweeping overhaul of Special Branch's handling of intelligence and the appointment of two senior officers to oversee the inquiry. However, despite a rejuvenated police team, observers and some families have expressed deep scepticism of any dramatic breakthrough in the case. Det Supt Baxter - at the helm of a 24-team of officers working full-time on the probe - is reflective as the fifth anniversary approaches.
"A number of formal meetings have taken place this year with the victims of Omagh to update them on progress and address their concerns," he said in a statement.
"Personally, I find it disappointing that we have arrived at the fifth anniversary of the Omagh bomb without a successful prosecution against the perpetrators.
"I understand the sense of frustration of the bereaved and the victims at the failure of the criminal justice system to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.
"I can assure the victims, the people of Omagh and the wider public that we remain firm in our resolve to bring those responsible to account." The Garda is also in the dock over Omagh and three civil servants in the Republic - appointed to probe allegations that Special Branch in the Republic failed to pass on information from an informant who alleged that a Real IRA unit was trying to obtain a car to plant a bomb in the north just days before the August 1998 attack, have completed their report.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said: "The minister has recently received the Nally report, is currently studying it and will be making a statement in due course.'
Desperate for justice the families have launched a civil action against five of the suspected bombers.
They are:
Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, who has been convicted of directing terrorism
Liam Campbell, serving jailed in the republic for membership of the Real IRA
Seamus McKenna (48) recently charged in connection with an explosives find in Co Louth
Seamus Daly (32), who will next year stand trial for Real IRA membership
Colm Murphy (50), a builder and publican from Ravensdale, Co Louth, sentenced last year to 14 years in jail for conspiring to cause the Omagh explosion.
Bob Geldof has described Omagh as "our September 11".
"It was a crime that's still beyond belief. The killers are walking around with smirks on their faces. We cannot let them get away with it," he said. This week, the British government agreed to give the relatives the final �800,000 of the �1.5 million need to pursue the case.
Victor Barker, whose son James was killed, vowed: " We will continue to campaign until we get justice."
On the conviction of McKevitt, who split from the Provisionals to form the Real IRA after rejecting their backing for the peace process, Mr Barker said: "It will add more ammunition to the case."
But he added: "An awful lot of people were involved. We are by no means certain that we know all the players."
THE senior officer in charge of the Omagh bomb investigation has told of his disappointment that no murder charges have been brought against the Real IRA killers.
Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter who took over as head of the PSNI probe last year insists, that five years on "it is still very much a live investigation" and is "progressing a number of active lines of inquiry".
So far only one person, Colm Murphy, has been convicted in connection with the 1998 attack, but no-one has been charged with murder despite the identity of the killers being known to police on both sides of the border for some time. Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's damning report into the original RUC investigation was prompted by claims by double agent Kevin Fulton that he tipped off his police handlers, three days before the Omagh bombing, that the Real IRA was preparing a "major bomb" destined for the north.
An internal police review of the investigation uncovered a litany of errors, listing over 200 recommendations. The ombudsman concluded that relatives were let down by a "failure of leadership, poor judgment and a lack of urgency". The controversy resulted in a sweeping overhaul of Special Branch's handling of intelligence and the appointment of two senior officers to oversee the inquiry. However, despite a rejuvenated police team, observers and some families have expressed deep scepticism of any dramatic breakthrough in the case. Det Supt Baxter - at the helm of a 24-team of officers working full-time on the probe - is reflective as the fifth anniversary approaches.
"A number of formal meetings have taken place this year with the victims of Omagh to update them on progress and address their concerns," he said in a statement.
"Personally, I find it disappointing that we have arrived at the fifth anniversary of the Omagh bomb without a successful prosecution against the perpetrators.
"I understand the sense of frustration of the bereaved and the victims at the failure of the criminal justice system to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.
"I can assure the victims, the people of Omagh and the wider public that we remain firm in our resolve to bring those responsible to account." The Garda is also in the dock over Omagh and three civil servants in the Republic - appointed to probe allegations that Special Branch in the Republic failed to pass on information from an informant who alleged that a Real IRA unit was trying to obtain a car to plant a bomb in the north just days before the August 1998 attack, have completed their report.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said: "The minister has recently received the Nally report, is currently studying it and will be making a statement in due course.'
Desperate for justice the families have launched a civil action against five of the suspected bombers.
They are:
Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, who has been convicted of directing terrorism
Liam Campbell, serving jailed in the republic for membership of the Real IRA
Seamus McKenna (48) recently charged in connection with an explosives find in Co Louth
Seamus Daly (32), who will next year stand trial for Real IRA membership
Colm Murphy (50), a builder and publican from Ravensdale, Co Louth, sentenced last year to 14 years in jail for conspiring to cause the Omagh explosion.
Bob Geldof has described Omagh as "our September 11".
"It was a crime that's still beyond belief. The killers are walking around with smirks on their faces. We cannot let them get away with it," he said. This week, the British government agreed to give the relatives the final �800,000 of the �1.5 million need to pursue the case.
Victor Barker, whose son James was killed, vowed: " We will continue to campaign until we get justice."
On the conviction of McKevitt, who split from the Provisionals to form the Real IRA after rejecting their backing for the peace process, Mr Barker said: "It will add more ammunition to the case."
But he added: "An awful lot of people were involved. We are by no means certain that we know all the players."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0606
Published Date: 14-Aug-03
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.