MURPHY TO FACE LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER OMAGH BOMB INVESTIGATION
Murphy to face legal challenge over Omagh bomb investigation
By William Scholes and James Stinson
RELATIVES of those killed in the Omagh bomb are planning to mount a legal challenge against the Secretary of State over his alleged failure
to ask the Irish government to allow a Real IRA informer to be questioned by the PSNI.
The informer Paddy Dixon, who is understood to be living abroad under an Garda witness protection scheme, has claimed that the 1998 bombing was allowed to go ahead to protect his status in the dissident republican group.
Despite repeated requests from PSNI detectives investigating the bombing the Garda has refused to allow them to question Mr Dixon.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the bomb along with 28 others, said victims' relatives wanted to know if either Secretary of State Paul Murphy or security minister Jane Kennedy had pressed the Irish government to make Mr Dixon available to investigators in the north.
The families have already consulted with a barrister about pursuing a judicial review of the NIO ministers' alleged refusal to ask Garda to allow the PSNI to interview Mr Dixon.
Last night Mr Gallagher said politicians had "a major part to play" in the investigation.
"On six occasions the PSNI has asked for Paddy Dixon to be made available but the Garda has refused," he said.
"We want to know if Paul Murphy or Jane Kennedy has asked the Irish government to help in this.
"Maybe they have asked and if so we want to know what reasons the Irish government has given for refusing to make Dixon available."
Meanwhile, the Omagh victims' group plans to decline a meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern when he visits the town on Thursday.
Mr Ahern is due to visit the bomb site and to meet councillors and representatives from community groups.
"We have been asking for a meeting with Mr Ahern for five years but when I asked how long we would be able to meet with him, I was told the most we could hope for was five or 10 minutes," Mr Gallagher said .
"We want a proper sit down meeting, not a photo opportunity for the Taoiseach.
"We have important and sensitive questions to put to him and this would be an inappropriate forum for that."
Instead of meeting Mr Ahern in Omagh the relatives will travel to Dublin to fulfil a longstanding arrangement to meet Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Mr Ahern has been a frequent visitor to the north in relation to political affairs but his visit this week will concentrate on economic and social matters.
He will make a keynote speech at the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster.
"Higher education collaboration is crucial to the future of Ireland, north and south," a university spokesman said.
"The Taoiseach will hear about the work of the University of Ulster in furthering social inclusion through its access schemes, inter-university research collaboration throughout Ireland and technology transfer.
Later in the day the Taoiseach will visit Belfast City Hall where he will meet Lord Mayor Martin Morgan and other council representatives.
Mr Ahern will also meet community groups in west Belfast.
Last month loyalist leaders travelled to Dublin to meet the Taoiseach in a bid to become more involved with the ongoing political process.
By William Scholes and James Stinson
RELATIVES of those killed in the Omagh bomb are planning to mount a legal challenge against the Secretary of State over his alleged failure
to ask the Irish government to allow a Real IRA informer to be questioned by the PSNI.
The informer Paddy Dixon, who is understood to be living abroad under an Garda witness protection scheme, has claimed that the 1998 bombing was allowed to go ahead to protect his status in the dissident republican group.
Despite repeated requests from PSNI detectives investigating the bombing the Garda has refused to allow them to question Mr Dixon.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the bomb along with 28 others, said victims' relatives wanted to know if either Secretary of State Paul Murphy or security minister Jane Kennedy had pressed the Irish government to make Mr Dixon available to investigators in the north.
The families have already consulted with a barrister about pursuing a judicial review of the NIO ministers' alleged refusal to ask Garda to allow the PSNI to interview Mr Dixon.
Last night Mr Gallagher said politicians had "a major part to play" in the investigation.
"On six occasions the PSNI has asked for Paddy Dixon to be made available but the Garda has refused," he said.
"We want to know if Paul Murphy or Jane Kennedy has asked the Irish government to help in this.
"Maybe they have asked and if so we want to know what reasons the Irish government has given for refusing to make Dixon available."
Meanwhile, the Omagh victims' group plans to decline a meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern when he visits the town on Thursday.
Mr Ahern is due to visit the bomb site and to meet councillors and representatives from community groups.
"We have been asking for a meeting with Mr Ahern for five years but when I asked how long we would be able to meet with him, I was told the most we could hope for was five or 10 minutes," Mr Gallagher said .
"We want a proper sit down meeting, not a photo opportunity for the Taoiseach.
"We have important and sensitive questions to put to him and this would be an inappropriate forum for that."
Instead of meeting Mr Ahern in Omagh the relatives will travel to Dublin to fulfil a longstanding arrangement to meet Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Mr Ahern has been a frequent visitor to the north in relation to political affairs but his visit this week will concentrate on economic and social matters.
He will make a keynote speech at the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster.
"Higher education collaboration is crucial to the future of Ireland, north and south," a university spokesman said.
"The Taoiseach will hear about the work of the University of Ulster in furthering social inclusion through its access schemes, inter-university research collaboration throughout Ireland and technology transfer.
Later in the day the Taoiseach will visit Belfast City Hall where he will meet Lord Mayor Martin Morgan and other council representatives.
Mr Ahern will also meet community groups in west Belfast.
Last month loyalist leaders travelled to Dublin to meet the Taoiseach in a bid to become more involved with the ongoing political process.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0617
Published Date: 16-Feb-04
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