MI5 FAILED TO INFORM SPECIAL BRANCH OF THREAT TO OMAGH
MI5 failed to inform Special Branch of threat to Omagh
PRESSURE mounted on the British and Irish governments last night to hold an inquiry into the Omagh bomb after it emerged MI5 withheld vital anti-terrorism intelligence just months before the attack.
A total of 29 people and unborn twins were killed in the Real IRA attack in August 1998.
Authoritative security sources yesterday revealed that MI5 received a tip-off in April 1998 that a bomb attack was being planned in Omagh or Derry.
However, the agency failed to inform Special Branch of the threat.
Details of this failure to pass on information have only just emerged as part of an investigation into US FBI agent David Rupert who infiltrated the Real IRA.
Relatives of some of the Omagh dead said they were astonished by the disclosure that MI5 kept police in the dark about the bomb plot months before it took place.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan (21) was among those killed, said: "At best, this is criminal negligence. At worst it's assisting a terrorist murder plot."
The latest revelation, he said, made the argument for the British and Irish governments to set up a full cross-border independent inquiry all the more compelling.
"MI5 is considered one of the top intelligence agencies in the world and had their finger very much on the pulse, yet they failed to notify the RUC that Omagh was a chosen target of a very active terrorist group," he said.
Mr Gallagher, who met Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street last month, added: "There must be a cross-border public inquiry to establish a truthful account of all events surrounding Omagh.
"It must be thorough, comprehensive and impartial to find out exactly what happened and who should be held responsible for any failings. It is only then that the families can begin to heal."
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the episode "underscores the case that MI5 cannot be trusted to work in the true public interest or relied upon to cooperate properly with other authorities".
"This also highlights MI5's culture of intelligence for its own sake, used and handled for its own ends rather than through lawful democratic public interest," he said.
Lagan Valley DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson stopped short of joining the Omagh families and the SDLP in demanding a cross-border inquiry but insisted there would have to be a probe into how intelligence was handled.
"For some time now I have had concerns about information that may have been available to the security services in advance of the Omagh bombing and that goes back to earlier claims by the agent Kevin Fulton who said he passed on information about some of those involved in the attack," he said.
The Omagh relatives are pressing ahead with a High Court civil action seeking S14 million compensation against the five men they blame for the bombing.
The trial is due to begin in September of Sean Hoey (36), from south Armagh, who has denied murdering the 29 people.
PRESSURE mounted on the British and Irish governments last night to hold an inquiry into the Omagh bomb after it emerged MI5 withheld vital anti-terrorism intelligence just months before the attack.
A total of 29 people and unborn twins were killed in the Real IRA attack in August 1998.
Authoritative security sources yesterday revealed that MI5 received a tip-off in April 1998 that a bomb attack was being planned in Omagh or Derry.
However, the agency failed to inform Special Branch of the threat.
Details of this failure to pass on information have only just emerged as part of an investigation into US FBI agent David Rupert who infiltrated the Real IRA.
Relatives of some of the Omagh dead said they were astonished by the disclosure that MI5 kept police in the dark about the bomb plot months before it took place.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan (21) was among those killed, said: "At best, this is criminal negligence. At worst it's assisting a terrorist murder plot."
The latest revelation, he said, made the argument for the British and Irish governments to set up a full cross-border independent inquiry all the more compelling.
"MI5 is considered one of the top intelligence agencies in the world and had their finger very much on the pulse, yet they failed to notify the RUC that Omagh was a chosen target of a very active terrorist group," he said.
Mr Gallagher, who met Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street last month, added: "There must be a cross-border public inquiry to establish a truthful account of all events surrounding Omagh.
"It must be thorough, comprehensive and impartial to find out exactly what happened and who should be held responsible for any failings. It is only then that the families can begin to heal."
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the episode "underscores the case that MI5 cannot be trusted to work in the true public interest or relied upon to cooperate properly with other authorities".
"This also highlights MI5's culture of intelligence for its own sake, used and handled for its own ends rather than through lawful democratic public interest," he said.
Lagan Valley DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson stopped short of joining the Omagh families and the SDLP in demanding a cross-border inquiry but insisted there would have to be a probe into how intelligence was handled.
"For some time now I have had concerns about information that may have been available to the security services in advance of the Omagh bombing and that goes back to earlier claims by the agent Kevin Fulton who said he passed on information about some of those involved in the attack," he said.
The Omagh relatives are pressing ahead with a High Court civil action seeking S14 million compensation against the five men they blame for the bombing.
The trial is due to begin in September of Sean Hoey (36), from south Armagh, who has denied murdering the 29 people.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0778
Published Date: 25-Feb-06
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