BROWN TO MEET OMAGH FAMILIES ON ALERT CLAIM
Brown to meet Omagh families on alert claim
GORDON Brown is to meet the Omagh bomb families tomorrow to discuss claims - recently rejected in an official report - that intelligence agents tracked the bombers on the day of the attack but failed to alert police. Sir Peter Gibson, the Intelligence Services Commissioner, said last month he had found no evidence to back up allegations by BBC's Panorama that the government's listening station GCHQ intercepted information that could have prevented the 1998 atrocity.
Twenty nine people, including a mother pregnant with twins, were killed when a Real IRA car bomb exploded in the town centre after misleading warnings. No one has ever been convicted for the attack which inflicted the single biggest loss of life during the Troubles. The families meeting the British prime minister at Downing Street tomorrow have already said they are unimpressed with the Gibson report. Michael Gallagher, who lost his son Aidan in the attack, said the families would also be discussing with Mr Brown their civil action against the five men they suspect were behind the bombing. They believe the intelligence services are still holding back information which could aid their case.
The families are also preparing a presentation next month to MPs on the Northern Ireland Select Committee over their call for an independent cross border inquiry into the Omagh bomb investigation.
GORDON Brown is to meet the Omagh bomb families tomorrow to discuss claims - recently rejected in an official report - that intelligence agents tracked the bombers on the day of the attack but failed to alert police. Sir Peter Gibson, the Intelligence Services Commissioner, said last month he had found no evidence to back up allegations by BBC's Panorama that the government's listening station GCHQ intercepted information that could have prevented the 1998 atrocity.
Twenty nine people, including a mother pregnant with twins, were killed when a Real IRA car bomb exploded in the town centre after misleading warnings. No one has ever been convicted for the attack which inflicted the single biggest loss of life during the Troubles. The families meeting the British prime minister at Downing Street tomorrow have already said they are unimpressed with the Gibson report. Michael Gallagher, who lost his son Aidan in the attack, said the families would also be discussing with Mr Brown their civil action against the five men they suspect were behind the bombing. They believe the intelligence services are still holding back information which could aid their case.
The families are also preparing a presentation next month to MPs on the Northern Ireland Select Committee over their call for an independent cross border inquiry into the Omagh bomb investigation.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0988
Published Date: 10-Feb-09
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