MPS BACK SPOOKS PROBE TO PREVENT NEW OMAGH
MPs back spooks probe to prevent new Omagh
By Allison Morris
THE secretive nature of government 'spooks' and how they pass on sensitive information needs to be investigated to ensure there is no repeat of the Omagh bombing, a Westminster parliamentary committee has said.
The Northern Ireland affairs committee report into the handling of the Omagh investigation found that too many questions still remained unanswered more than a decade after the Real IRA bombing killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
The committee, headed by Sir Patrick Cormack MP, began its inquiry in September 2008 into the bombing and the security services' role following claims contained in a BBC Panorama programme.
The programme said the British government's highly secretive listening station Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) had monitored suspects' mobile phone calls as they drove to Omagh from the Republic on the day of the bombing on August 15 1998.
One of the calls is believed to contain the voice of a suspect saying "the brick is in the wall" - thought to be code meaning the bomb was primed and in position.
It was claimed that this piece of information was never passed to RUC detectives investigating the case.
Mobile phone numbers that could have identified suspects and led to early arrests in the wake of the bombing were not given to detectives.
To date no-one has been successfully convicted of the mass murder in the Co Tyrone town.
However, last year four men were found liable for the bombing in a landmark civil case taken by families of the Omagh victims.
That ruling is subject to appeal.
Godfrey Wilson - whose 15-year-old daughter Lorraine died in the bombing - said the Westminster committee's findings were "heart-warming but frustrating".
"Well, Sir Patrick agreed with our position and the questions raised by the committee are the same questions we have been asking for 11 years,"he said.
"What is frustrating is that the prime minister is refusing to release the information we need to answer those questions.
"As victims all we want is truth and justice and unfortunately the system as it is just isn't working for victims."
One of those who gave evidence to the committee was intelligence services commissioner Sir Peter Gibson who strongly rejected any wrongdoing on the part of British government spooks.
He said information obtained by GCHQ was not monitored in real time and therefore could not have prevented the bombing.
However, the committee members were denied access to the intelligence files which had been classified for security reasons.
"Far too many questions remain unanswered," Sir Patrick said, delivering the report in Stormont.
"The criminal justice system has failed to bring to justice those responsible for the Omagh bombing.
"The least that those who were bereaved or injured have the right to expect are answers to those questions."
The MPs on the committee also recommended further investigation regarding whether the names of the suspected bombers had been known and, if so, why the names had not been passed to detectives investigating the bombing.
The committee said further investigation into Special Branch's role was warranted to establish whether it had been passed data by GCHQ but failed to forward it to colleagues investigating the bombing.
When questioned by MPs, Sir Peter said information from telephone intercepts examined in the wake of the bombing had been passed to police.
"Throughout 1998 - before, on and after August 15 - GCHQ ensured that intelligence from any interception that might have been relevant to RUC Special Branch for its operational purposes was promptly being made available to them," he said.
The committee also recommended that the British government consider providing legal aid for civil actions to be pursued against suspected terrorists if criminal investigations failed to bring a prosecution.
SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell, who sits on the committee, said yesterday those who had been bereaved or injured had the right to expect answers.
"I'm pleased to have played a small part in the production of this report," he said.
"Unfortunately the report raises more questions that it provides answers for.
"There was a serious degree of dysfunctionality surrounding the handling of security information.
"It's very clear that it should have been better shared."
MPs had questioned people such as BBC reporter John Ware, Omagh relative Michael Gallagher and former PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde.
By Allison Morris
THE secretive nature of government 'spooks' and how they pass on sensitive information needs to be investigated to ensure there is no repeat of the Omagh bombing, a Westminster parliamentary committee has said.
The Northern Ireland affairs committee report into the handling of the Omagh investigation found that too many questions still remained unanswered more than a decade after the Real IRA bombing killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
The committee, headed by Sir Patrick Cormack MP, began its inquiry in September 2008 into the bombing and the security services' role following claims contained in a BBC Panorama programme.
The programme said the British government's highly secretive listening station Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) had monitored suspects' mobile phone calls as they drove to Omagh from the Republic on the day of the bombing on August 15 1998.
One of the calls is believed to contain the voice of a suspect saying "the brick is in the wall" - thought to be code meaning the bomb was primed and in position.
It was claimed that this piece of information was never passed to RUC detectives investigating the case.
Mobile phone numbers that could have identified suspects and led to early arrests in the wake of the bombing were not given to detectives.
To date no-one has been successfully convicted of the mass murder in the Co Tyrone town.
However, last year four men were found liable for the bombing in a landmark civil case taken by families of the Omagh victims.
That ruling is subject to appeal.
Godfrey Wilson - whose 15-year-old daughter Lorraine died in the bombing - said the Westminster committee's findings were "heart-warming but frustrating".
"Well, Sir Patrick agreed with our position and the questions raised by the committee are the same questions we have been asking for 11 years,"he said.
"What is frustrating is that the prime minister is refusing to release the information we need to answer those questions.
"As victims all we want is truth and justice and unfortunately the system as it is just isn't working for victims."
One of those who gave evidence to the committee was intelligence services commissioner Sir Peter Gibson who strongly rejected any wrongdoing on the part of British government spooks.
He said information obtained by GCHQ was not monitored in real time and therefore could not have prevented the bombing.
However, the committee members were denied access to the intelligence files which had been classified for security reasons.
"Far too many questions remain unanswered," Sir Patrick said, delivering the report in Stormont.
"The criminal justice system has failed to bring to justice those responsible for the Omagh bombing.
"The least that those who were bereaved or injured have the right to expect are answers to those questions."
The MPs on the committee also recommended further investigation regarding whether the names of the suspected bombers had been known and, if so, why the names had not been passed to detectives investigating the bombing.
The committee said further investigation into Special Branch's role was warranted to establish whether it had been passed data by GCHQ but failed to forward it to colleagues investigating the bombing.
When questioned by MPs, Sir Peter said information from telephone intercepts examined in the wake of the bombing had been passed to police.
"Throughout 1998 - before, on and after August 15 - GCHQ ensured that intelligence from any interception that might have been relevant to RUC Special Branch for its operational purposes was promptly being made available to them," he said.
The committee also recommended that the British government consider providing legal aid for civil actions to be pursued against suspected terrorists if criminal investigations failed to bring a prosecution.
SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell, who sits on the committee, said yesterday those who had been bereaved or injured had the right to expect answers.
"I'm pleased to have played a small part in the production of this report," he said.
"Unfortunately the report raises more questions that it provides answers for.
"There was a serious degree of dysfunctionality surrounding the handling of security information.
"It's very clear that it should have been better shared."
MPs had questioned people such as BBC reporter John Ware, Omagh relative Michael Gallagher and former PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/1025
Published Date: 17-Mar-10
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