OMAGH WITNESSES OFFERED REPUBLIC'S FULL PROTECTION
Omagh witnesses offered Republic's full protection
By Senan Hogan PA
THE Irish government last night offered the carrot of full state protection to any witnesses who come forward for a future Omagh bombing trial.
Last month Co Armagh electrician Sean Hoey was cleared of more than 50 charges relating to the biggest atrocity of the Troubles which killed 29 people and injured 300 in 1998.
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward discussed the Omagh issue with the Republic's foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern in a new year "stocktaking" meeting in Dublin yesterday.
"There are people out there who know who did this," Mr Woodward said afterwards.
"If people can feel the courage to come forward we will put every means at their disposal to protect them as witnesses.
"We can still bring people to justice for Omagh.
"What I would like to see is the people responsible for the single biggest atrocity of the Troubles brought to court.
"If we can bring somebody to justice for Omagh, that would be a very good day everywhere in Ireland."
"We discussed it generally and it is one of the issues constantly on our agenda," Mr Ahern said.
"We are conscious that this issue has been well ventilated in the courts.
"We now have to see how else we can assist the families."
Only one person - Colm Murphy, a 48-year-old builder and publican from Co Louth - has ever been convicted of involvement in the blast but that verdict was overturned in January 2005 after he had spent three years in jail.
A retrial is planned although Murphy's lawyers want it scrapped.
Both politicians also discussed the PSNI/Garda investigation into the murder of Paul Quinn in October.
"I think there is a new era of cooperation between the Garda and the PSNI," Mr Ahern said.
"In the awful Paul Quinn murder it proved that the two police services can work hand in hand and that is what the people want."
Also discussed was progress towards May's deadline for devolved policing and the upcoming North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council meetings.
Asked if the conditions were right for what would be a historic visit to the Republic by the Queen, Mr Woodward said: "It is reasonable that people can hope that this visit can happen sooner or later.
"But this is a matter for the British and Irish governments."
By Senan Hogan PA
THE Irish government last night offered the carrot of full state protection to any witnesses who come forward for a future Omagh bombing trial.
Last month Co Armagh electrician Sean Hoey was cleared of more than 50 charges relating to the biggest atrocity of the Troubles which killed 29 people and injured 300 in 1998.
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward discussed the Omagh issue with the Republic's foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern in a new year "stocktaking" meeting in Dublin yesterday.
"There are people out there who know who did this," Mr Woodward said afterwards.
"If people can feel the courage to come forward we will put every means at their disposal to protect them as witnesses.
"We can still bring people to justice for Omagh.
"What I would like to see is the people responsible for the single biggest atrocity of the Troubles brought to court.
"If we can bring somebody to justice for Omagh, that would be a very good day everywhere in Ireland."
"We discussed it generally and it is one of the issues constantly on our agenda," Mr Ahern said.
"We are conscious that this issue has been well ventilated in the courts.
"We now have to see how else we can assist the families."
Only one person - Colm Murphy, a 48-year-old builder and publican from Co Louth - has ever been convicted of involvement in the blast but that verdict was overturned in January 2005 after he had spent three years in jail.
A retrial is planned although Murphy's lawyers want it scrapped.
Both politicians also discussed the PSNI/Garda investigation into the murder of Paul Quinn in October.
"I think there is a new era of cooperation between the Garda and the PSNI," Mr Ahern said.
"In the awful Paul Quinn murder it proved that the two police services can work hand in hand and that is what the people want."
Also discussed was progress towards May's deadline for devolved policing and the upcoming North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council meetings.
Asked if the conditions were right for what would be a historic visit to the Republic by the Queen, Mr Woodward said: "It is reasonable that people can hope that this visit can happen sooner or later.
"But this is a matter for the British and Irish governments."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0887
Published Date: 11-Jan-08
Related Images
