POLICE FORCES REJECT REPORTS OF OMAGH RIFT
Police forces reject reports of Omagh rift
By Valerie Robinson
Southern Correspondent
THE PSNI and the Garda have rejected reports of a rift over access to a key witness in connection with the cross-border investigation into the 1998 Omagh bombing. Reports in three Sunday newspapers claimed that gardai had refused their Northern Ireland counterparts access to Real IRA informant Paddy Dixon, otherwise known as Witness X. The Dublin man is said to have provided gardai with intelligence that led to the interception of a number of bombs before the Omagh blast.
It has also been claimed that he told his garda handler about the terror group's plans to carry out another bomb attack in the days before Omagh but the information was never passed on the RUC.
The PSNI issued a statement at the weekend saying that the force believed Dixon was "significant" and had made a number of requests to interview him.
It was suggested that a serious rift had developed between the two police forces over the refusal by gardai to make the witness available to PSNI detectives.
Gardai yesterday confirmed that requests had been received by the Garda Siochana from the PSNI for assistance to facilitate an interview with Witness X or Dixon.
In a statement, the force said that the requests had been passed on through Witness X's legal representative for him and that a response was awaited, adding: "The Garda Siochana have always been anxious to have all requests for interviews complied with by those who wish to carry them out, however the gardai cannot compel compliance by the person known as Witness X."
The statement added that Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy wished "to point out in the strongest terms possible" that the gardai enjoyed an "excellent relationship" with the PSNI and that the relationship had been cemented further with the implementation of the Patten Report.
"Both services have been involved in joint operations, joint exercises, training programmes which are set to continue. Therefore any suggestion of a rift between both organisations is simply not true," it said.
Last night a spokeswoman for the PSNI said relations with their southern counterparts were "extremely healthy".
"The Police Service of Northern Ireland believe this man could be a significant witness and have made a number of requests to his legal adviser for him to be made available for interview. We will continue to do so," she said.
"We are very grateful to the gardai for their continued co-operation on the Omagh investigation and other investigations.
"Contrary to newspaper reports the relationship between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda is extremely healthy at a professional and personal level."
By Valerie Robinson
Southern Correspondent
THE PSNI and the Garda have rejected reports of a rift over access to a key witness in connection with the cross-border investigation into the 1998 Omagh bombing. Reports in three Sunday newspapers claimed that gardai had refused their Northern Ireland counterparts access to Real IRA informant Paddy Dixon, otherwise known as Witness X. The Dublin man is said to have provided gardai with intelligence that led to the interception of a number of bombs before the Omagh blast.
It has also been claimed that he told his garda handler about the terror group's plans to carry out another bomb attack in the days before Omagh but the information was never passed on the RUC.
The PSNI issued a statement at the weekend saying that the force believed Dixon was "significant" and had made a number of requests to interview him.
It was suggested that a serious rift had developed between the two police forces over the refusal by gardai to make the witness available to PSNI detectives.
Gardai yesterday confirmed that requests had been received by the Garda Siochana from the PSNI for assistance to facilitate an interview with Witness X or Dixon.
In a statement, the force said that the requests had been passed on through Witness X's legal representative for him and that a response was awaited, adding: "The Garda Siochana have always been anxious to have all requests for interviews complied with by those who wish to carry them out, however the gardai cannot compel compliance by the person known as Witness X."
The statement added that Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy wished "to point out in the strongest terms possible" that the gardai enjoyed an "excellent relationship" with the PSNI and that the relationship had been cemented further with the implementation of the Patten Report.
"Both services have been involved in joint operations, joint exercises, training programmes which are set to continue. Therefore any suggestion of a rift between both organisations is simply not true," it said.
Last night a spokeswoman for the PSNI said relations with their southern counterparts were "extremely healthy".
"The Police Service of Northern Ireland believe this man could be a significant witness and have made a number of requests to his legal adviser for him to be made available for interview. We will continue to do so," she said.
"We are very grateful to the gardai for their continued co-operation on the Omagh investigation and other investigations.
"Contrary to newspaper reports the relationship between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda is extremely healthy at a professional and personal level."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0614
Published Date: 11-Nov-03
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