FLANAGAN HITS AT FLAWED LEADERSHIP CLAIM
Flanagan hits at 'flawed leadership' claim
CHIEF Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan yesterday angrily hit back at the Police Ombudsman's claim that he was guilty of flawed leadership during the Omagh bomb investigation.
In a stinging rebuke to Nuala O'Loan, Sir Ronnie completely rejected her accusation that his and Assistant Chief Constable Crime Raymond White's judgment during the investigation was "seriously flawed" and had "seriously reduced" the chances of catching the bombers.
He insisted: "The Omagh investigation has been driven forward with energy, professionalism and determination under the overall guidance and direction of the Chief Constable.
"The scale of the investigation - all sense of which is absent from the Ombudsman's statement - has been accompanied by the use of a whole range of techniques and procedures which represents firsts in Northern Ireland policing.
"These include the use of cutting-edge technology in areas such as DNA testing and phone call analysis; the employment for the first time in Northern Ireland of the Metropolitan Police special explosives search team; and the use for the first time of a formal review process."
The Chief Constable said he also made available the full resources of the police to help the investigation, committing large-scale CID and uniform resources to search-and-arrest operations as well as ensuring the "wholehearted and continuing support of Special Branch".
He regretted that, despite this, the bombers had not been brought to justice.
However, Sir Ronnie said his officers and police in the Republic have been able to identify those they believe were responsible for the August 1998 car bomb and obtain details of the operation.
The Chief Constable denied there had been any lack of urgency in following up the recommendations of the internal review into the bombing.
He rounded on the Ombudsman for taking no account of the "wider context in which the Omagh investigation is taking place", with outside pressures on the police service like riots, an ongoing (albeit reduced) terrorist threat and the implementation of police reforms.
Sir Ronnie maintained the ombudsman's charge of a "failure of leadership" was "unsustainable".
"In the view of the PSNI, any impartial and objective assessment could not fail to recognise the high quality of leadership given by the Chief Constable to the Omagh investigation.
"This particular accusation was at no time raised or even hinted at by the Ombudsman or her staff during the course of their investigation. It was at no time put to the Chief Constable or any other senior police officer.
"As a result, the Chief Constable and the senior officers concerned were denied the elementary requirements of natural justice and were deprived of fundamental; legal rights
(a) to be told what was alleged against them and
(b) to have a reasonable opportunity to make a considered response."
CHIEF Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan yesterday angrily hit back at the Police Ombudsman's claim that he was guilty of flawed leadership during the Omagh bomb investigation.
In a stinging rebuke to Nuala O'Loan, Sir Ronnie completely rejected her accusation that his and Assistant Chief Constable Crime Raymond White's judgment during the investigation was "seriously flawed" and had "seriously reduced" the chances of catching the bombers.
He insisted: "The Omagh investigation has been driven forward with energy, professionalism and determination under the overall guidance and direction of the Chief Constable.
"The scale of the investigation - all sense of which is absent from the Ombudsman's statement - has been accompanied by the use of a whole range of techniques and procedures which represents firsts in Northern Ireland policing.
"These include the use of cutting-edge technology in areas such as DNA testing and phone call analysis; the employment for the first time in Northern Ireland of the Metropolitan Police special explosives search team; and the use for the first time of a formal review process."
The Chief Constable said he also made available the full resources of the police to help the investigation, committing large-scale CID and uniform resources to search-and-arrest operations as well as ensuring the "wholehearted and continuing support of Special Branch".
He regretted that, despite this, the bombers had not been brought to justice.
However, Sir Ronnie said his officers and police in the Republic have been able to identify those they believe were responsible for the August 1998 car bomb and obtain details of the operation.
The Chief Constable denied there had been any lack of urgency in following up the recommendations of the internal review into the bombing.
He rounded on the Ombudsman for taking no account of the "wider context in which the Omagh investigation is taking place", with outside pressures on the police service like riots, an ongoing (albeit reduced) terrorist threat and the implementation of police reforms.
Sir Ronnie maintained the ombudsman's charge of a "failure of leadership" was "unsustainable".
"In the view of the PSNI, any impartial and objective assessment could not fail to recognise the high quality of leadership given by the Chief Constable to the Omagh investigation.
"This particular accusation was at no time raised or even hinted at by the Ombudsman or her staff during the course of their investigation. It was at no time put to the Chief Constable or any other senior police officer.
"As a result, the Chief Constable and the senior officers concerned were denied the elementary requirements of natural justice and were deprived of fundamental; legal rights
(a) to be told what was alleged against them and
(b) to have a reasonable opportunity to make a considered response."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/423
Published Date: 25-Jan-02
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