RIRA INTENDED OMAGH CARNAGE
RIRA 'intended' Omagh carnage
By Michael McHugh
THE Real IRA intended to cause maximum carnage when it planted a bomb in Omagh in 1998, victims' relatives said last night. Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan (21) was killed, told MLAs that dissident republicans had deliberately misled police into evacuating people towards the blast. "My personal belief is that the bombers intended to carry out the carnage that they did," he said. "I can find no excuse for somebody not making an accurate phone call." The group made three calls to a broadcaster and the Samaritans but police were unable to pinpoint the car bomb's location. "That was very deceptive. Police assumed that the courthouse was the target," Mr Gallagher said.
Mr Gallagher and other grieving relatives were at Stormont to appeal for political support for a public inquiry into the atrocity. He said he was concerned that intelligence available to the security forces was not acted on and criticised the RUC's actions on the day.
All 108 MLAs were invited to his presentation. Only around a dozen showed up, although all parties were represented. Mr Gallagher questioned why the British army had not been called to help the evacuation and why the most senior policeman in Omagh had been a sergeant.
By Michael McHugh
THE Real IRA intended to cause maximum carnage when it planted a bomb in Omagh in 1998, victims' relatives said last night. Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan (21) was killed, told MLAs that dissident republicans had deliberately misled police into evacuating people towards the blast. "My personal belief is that the bombers intended to carry out the carnage that they did," he said. "I can find no excuse for somebody not making an accurate phone call." The group made three calls to a broadcaster and the Samaritans but police were unable to pinpoint the car bomb's location. "That was very deceptive. Police assumed that the courthouse was the target," Mr Gallagher said.
Mr Gallagher and other grieving relatives were at Stormont to appeal for political support for a public inquiry into the atrocity. He said he was concerned that intelligence available to the security forces was not acted on and criticised the RUC's actions on the day.
All 108 MLAs were invited to his presentation. Only around a dozen showed up, although all parties were represented. Mr Gallagher questioned why the British army had not been called to help the evacuation and why the most senior policeman in Omagh had been a sergeant.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0907
Published Date: 02-Apr-08
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