SIR RONNIE TO MEET FAMILIES
Widower says the way news was broken is an insult
CHIEF Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan will meet relatives of people killed in the Omagh bomb next month to deliver his rebuttal to the stinging criticism of the Police Ombudsman.
The grieving families will be the first to access Sir Ronnie's report which is expected to allay concerns following Nuala O'Loan's investigation.
It claimed that his flawed judgment had significantly reduced the chances of apprehending the Real IRA bombers.
A source close to Sir Ronnie said: "He is preparing a robust defence to her allegations and he intends to make sure the relatives hear it first."
An angry Lawrence Rush, whose wife, Libbi, was killed in the bomb, said he heard about the meeting with the Chief Constable on television news.
He said this was "a further insult".
"Several of the other families I spoke to tonight have not been contacted by Mr Flanagan or his office about the meeting," he added.
"But I am not surprised as we have not been treated with very much dignity by the police since the bomb."
Michael Gallagher, whose son, Adrian, 21, was among the 29 people killed by the 1998 bomb said the sooner the meeting happened the better.
He added: "There was no animosity, there was no unpleasantness but there is likely to be some hostility.
"Sir Ronnie believes the Ombudsman has got it wrong and this is an opportunity for him to tell us where she got it wrong.
"We want to move forward. There has to be honesty in this process.
"It is appalling that, right at the birth of a new police service, we have this controversy.
"The quicker this gets on to a normal footing and the police get engaged in the search for the bombers, the better for everybody involved.
"It is important that everybody's views are heard. It seems as if the Omagh investigation is going nowhere but we want the Chief Constable to put his thoughts on paper. He can reply any time and the quicker the better."
Former Ulster Secretary Peter Mandelson has criticised Mrs O'Loan for displaying a "certain lack of experience and possible gullibility" in a "slightly vindictive" report.
Members of the Policing Board are to meet next week for preliminary discussions over the unprecedented row between Sir Ronnie and Mrs O'Loan.
Yesterday, Sir Ronnie said he regretted saying he would "publicly commit suicide" if he believed the Omagh report was correct.
"Nothing is more precious than life but it is an indication of how deeply I felt that this was a flawed report," he said.
The Chief Constable said he hoped the damage caused by the report could be healed but sources on both sides have said they believed the rift might never be closed.
CHIEF Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan will meet relatives of people killed in the Omagh bomb next month to deliver his rebuttal to the stinging criticism of the Police Ombudsman.
The grieving families will be the first to access Sir Ronnie's report which is expected to allay concerns following Nuala O'Loan's investigation.
It claimed that his flawed judgment had significantly reduced the chances of apprehending the Real IRA bombers.
A source close to Sir Ronnie said: "He is preparing a robust defence to her allegations and he intends to make sure the relatives hear it first."
An angry Lawrence Rush, whose wife, Libbi, was killed in the bomb, said he heard about the meeting with the Chief Constable on television news.
He said this was "a further insult".
"Several of the other families I spoke to tonight have not been contacted by Mr Flanagan or his office about the meeting," he added.
"But I am not surprised as we have not been treated with very much dignity by the police since the bomb."
Michael Gallagher, whose son, Adrian, 21, was among the 29 people killed by the 1998 bomb said the sooner the meeting happened the better.
He added: "There was no animosity, there was no unpleasantness but there is likely to be some hostility.
"Sir Ronnie believes the Ombudsman has got it wrong and this is an opportunity for him to tell us where she got it wrong.
"We want to move forward. There has to be honesty in this process.
"It is appalling that, right at the birth of a new police service, we have this controversy.
"The quicker this gets on to a normal footing and the police get engaged in the search for the bombers, the better for everybody involved.
"It is important that everybody's views are heard. It seems as if the Omagh investigation is going nowhere but we want the Chief Constable to put his thoughts on paper. He can reply any time and the quicker the better."
Former Ulster Secretary Peter Mandelson has criticised Mrs O'Loan for displaying a "certain lack of experience and possible gullibility" in a "slightly vindictive" report.
Members of the Policing Board are to meet next week for preliminary discussions over the unprecedented row between Sir Ronnie and Mrs O'Loan.
Yesterday, Sir Ronnie said he regretted saying he would "publicly commit suicide" if he believed the Omagh report was correct.
"Nothing is more precious than life but it is an indication of how deeply I felt that this was a flawed report," he said.
The Chief Constable said he hoped the damage caused by the report could be healed but sources on both sides have said they believed the rift might never be closed.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/402
Published Date: 15-Dec-01
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