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No new man for Omagh probe
Chief Constable says move would hit hunt for killers

CHIEF Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan has rejected Omagh relatives' demand for a new man to head the investigation into the 1998 atrocity which killed 29 and injured hundreds.
The outgoing police chief said the appointment of a new senior officer would "significantly reduce" the chances of catching the terrorists. Sir Ronnie yesterday ruled out the move, despite appeals for a new top investigator made in an open letter to him by relatives.
At a news conference in Dublin, he said: "I am certainly not going to remove the current senior investigating officer."
He was in Dublin's Garda headquarters to hand over £35,700 raised by PSNI officers and civilian support staff for the families of the New York police and fire brigade officers who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Together with Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne, Sir Ronnie presented the cheque to the US-Ireland Alliance Innisfree Fund.
Sir Ronnie was heavily criticised by Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan last year for his handling of the Omagh investigation.
He said he understood the concerns of the relatives, but the appointment of a new officer to investigate the outrage would harm the chances of bringing the killers to justice.
Currently, the inquiry is being headed by Supt Brian McArthur and is being overseen by Merseyside detective Chief Supt Philip Jones.
Of his departure as PSNI chief, Sir Ronnie said: "I neither jumped nor was a I pushed."