OMAGH RELATIVES SAY NEW EVIDENCE FOUND
Omagh relatives say new evidence found
Steven McCaffefy and Michael McHugh
NEW evidence on the Omagh bombing has emerged to strengthen calls for an international inquiry into the atrocity, relatives of some of those killed have said.
Campaigners have demanded a cross-border inquiry into whether the authorities could have done more to prevent the 1998 bombing In which the Real IRA murdered 29 civilians including a woman pregnant with twins.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden (21) was killed, said a report being compiled at the request of the families had uncovered new information.
"We are confident this report will contain new evidence to support our call for a cross-border Inquiry," he said.
"It is a work In progress. It is very difficult to put a time span on when it will be completed. There is much more material than we first thought."
He declined to comment on the nature of the new evidence but said the report could be ready by mid-March and would add pressure on the governments.
Mr Gallagher's comments came as members of the Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee visited Omagh.
Committee chairman Laurence Robertson laid a wreath on behalf of the MPs at the memorial to the victims,
Mr Gallagher said he informed the committee of the report the Omagh Support and Self Help Group commlssloned from a group of London-based consultants.
He said the consultants have legal and investigative expertise and have started to trawl through the huge amount of material already compiled.
This includes police reports from both sides of the border, a probe carried out by the police ombudsman and a government-sponsored review of how intelligence on the attack was handled.
Mr Gallagher said the relatives had also secured disclosure of other documents, while the consultants are interviewing individuals associated with the case.
He said the consultants were only three months into the work but had already uncovered new information.
"We are quietly confident that this is a report that the British and Irish governments will want to address." Mr Gallagher said.
"It Is an uphill struggle but we feel that such is the evidence, that should the governments ignore this, we will then go to the courts."
Mr Gallagher said the consultants were not receiving any government assistance but the families planned to approach the Garda and PSNI to offer them the chance to cooperate.
Four men have been held responsible by a civil court for the bombing. A man accused of murder was cleared by a court in 2007.
A report by former police ombudsman Dame Nuala O'Loan criticised poor judgment in the RUC after the attack.
Victims have repeatedly called for an inquiry Into alleged failings by police.
Steven McCaffefy and Michael McHugh
NEW evidence on the Omagh bombing has emerged to strengthen calls for an international inquiry into the atrocity, relatives of some of those killed have said.
Campaigners have demanded a cross-border inquiry into whether the authorities could have done more to prevent the 1998 bombing In which the Real IRA murdered 29 civilians including a woman pregnant with twins.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden (21) was killed, said a report being compiled at the request of the families had uncovered new information.
"We are confident this report will contain new evidence to support our call for a cross-border Inquiry," he said.
"It is a work In progress. It is very difficult to put a time span on when it will be completed. There is much more material than we first thought."
He declined to comment on the nature of the new evidence but said the report could be ready by mid-March and would add pressure on the governments.
Mr Gallagher's comments came as members of the Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee visited Omagh.
Committee chairman Laurence Robertson laid a wreath on behalf of the MPs at the memorial to the victims,
Mr Gallagher said he informed the committee of the report the Omagh Support and Self Help Group commlssloned from a group of London-based consultants.
He said the consultants have legal and investigative expertise and have started to trawl through the huge amount of material already compiled.
This includes police reports from both sides of the border, a probe carried out by the police ombudsman and a government-sponsored review of how intelligence on the attack was handled.
Mr Gallagher said the relatives had also secured disclosure of other documents, while the consultants are interviewing individuals associated with the case.
He said the consultants were only three months into the work but had already uncovered new information.
"We are quietly confident that this is a report that the British and Irish governments will want to address." Mr Gallagher said.
"It Is an uphill struggle but we feel that such is the evidence, that should the governments ignore this, we will then go to the courts."
Mr Gallagher said the consultants were not receiving any government assistance but the families planned to approach the Garda and PSNI to offer them the chance to cooperate.
Four men have been held responsible by a civil court for the bombing. A man accused of murder was cleared by a court in 2007.
A report by former police ombudsman Dame Nuala O'Loan criticised poor judgment in the RUC after the attack.
Victims have repeatedly called for an inquiry Into alleged failings by police.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/1063
Published Date: 04-Feb-12
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