MI5 CHIEF WON'T MEET OMAGH BOMB GROUP
MI5 chief won't meet Omagh bomb group
By Catherine Morrison
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims are to write to Prime Minister Tony Blair after the head of M15 turned down a request for a meeting.
The Omagh Support and Self-Help Group received a letter on Tuesday from the director general of the security service, Eliza Manningham-Buller, saying she did not understand why the group wanted to meet her.
The move follows police revelations that Ms Manningham-Buller's agency did not pass on intelligence to the RUC before the Omagh bombing in August 1998 - a dispute to which she referred in her letter. Last month, PSNI officers told the families that MI5 did not tell the RUC about a warning that Omagh was a dissident republican target -four months before the explosion killed 29 people.
Spokesman for the group Michael Gallagher said that given the allegations, meeting with M15 chief was more important than ever.
The controversy has erupted in the middle of a transition that will see MI5 assume responsibility for overall security from the police.
"I think we have no option but to write to the Prime Minister and remind him he had no difficulty meeting us, nor did the Taoiseach nor any other ministers," Mr Gallagher said.
"As a public servant, this woman, as important as she is, should be in a position to meet the families.
"We are going to continue to press this issue and we are going to meet her."
In her letter, Ms Manningham-Buller said she regretted the distress the situation had caused the families.
"It might seem odd if I did not touch on the recent publicity over the Omagh bombing," she wrote.
"The chief constable made a clear statement to the Policing Board on March I that the security service did not withhold intelligence that was relevant or would have progressed the Omagh inquiry. I have nothing to add.
"I recognise that these allegations aired in the media are likely to have caused concern and much regret the added distress this will have caused the Omagh families."
Mr Gallagher said the families were due to meet Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde in April to put questions on the issue to him directly.
Last week, Sir Hugh told the Policing Board that the MI5 information would not have helped the inquiry into the bombing but he would not comment directly on how it might have served as a warning.
By Catherine Morrison
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims are to write to Prime Minister Tony Blair after the head of M15 turned down a request for a meeting.
The Omagh Support and Self-Help Group received a letter on Tuesday from the director general of the security service, Eliza Manningham-Buller, saying she did not understand why the group wanted to meet her.
The move follows police revelations that Ms Manningham-Buller's agency did not pass on intelligence to the RUC before the Omagh bombing in August 1998 - a dispute to which she referred in her letter. Last month, PSNI officers told the families that MI5 did not tell the RUC about a warning that Omagh was a dissident republican target -four months before the explosion killed 29 people.
Spokesman for the group Michael Gallagher said that given the allegations, meeting with M15 chief was more important than ever.
The controversy has erupted in the middle of a transition that will see MI5 assume responsibility for overall security from the police.
"I think we have no option but to write to the Prime Minister and remind him he had no difficulty meeting us, nor did the Taoiseach nor any other ministers," Mr Gallagher said.
"As a public servant, this woman, as important as she is, should be in a position to meet the families.
"We are going to continue to press this issue and we are going to meet her."
In her letter, Ms Manningham-Buller said she regretted the distress the situation had caused the families.
"It might seem odd if I did not touch on the recent publicity over the Omagh bombing," she wrote.
"The chief constable made a clear statement to the Policing Board on March I that the security service did not withhold intelligence that was relevant or would have progressed the Omagh inquiry. I have nothing to add.
"I recognise that these allegations aired in the media are likely to have caused concern and much regret the added distress this will have caused the Omagh families."
Mr Gallagher said the families were due to meet Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde in April to put questions on the issue to him directly.
Last week, Sir Hugh told the Policing Board that the MI5 information would not have helped the inquiry into the bombing but he would not comment directly on how it might have served as a warning.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0782
Published Date: 09-Mar-06
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