FLANAGAN FOR COURT OVER OMAGH REPORT
Flanagan for court over Omagh report
By IAN STARRETT
Former RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan will go to the High Court this week in a bid to defend his reputation.
He was strongly criticised in a report by Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loane into the Omagh bomb inquiry which accused him of defective leadership and poor judgement.
Sir Ronnie responded to the publication of the report by claiming that, if what was said about him was true, he would commit suicide in public.
He said that the report was inaccurate and error-ridden and that it had inflicted unnecessary grief and anxiety on the relatives of the Omagh dead.
On Thursday, a judicial review of the report will be heard in the High Court.
The hearing is expected to last two days and judgement is likely to be reserved to a later date.
The review was sought by the Police Association in an effort to quash the critique of the RUC's handling of the investigation into the Real IRA massacre, in which 29 people and two unborn children were killed in Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity on August 15, 1998.
Amongst those offering affidavits in support of quashing the report are Sir Ronnie and former Assistant Chief Constable, Ray White.
The Ombudsman's office will offer affidavits from PSNI Acting Deputy Chief Constable Alan McQuillan and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kincaid, which it is understood will say that they were not in charge of the Omagh inquiry.
A report yesterday said that both men claim that they could not have assumed this role under the regime operated by Sir Ronnie and Mr White.
By IAN STARRETT
Former RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan will go to the High Court this week in a bid to defend his reputation.
He was strongly criticised in a report by Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loane into the Omagh bomb inquiry which accused him of defective leadership and poor judgement.
Sir Ronnie responded to the publication of the report by claiming that, if what was said about him was true, he would commit suicide in public.
He said that the report was inaccurate and error-ridden and that it had inflicted unnecessary grief and anxiety on the relatives of the Omagh dead.
On Thursday, a judicial review of the report will be heard in the High Court.
The hearing is expected to last two days and judgement is likely to be reserved to a later date.
The review was sought by the Police Association in an effort to quash the critique of the RUC's handling of the investigation into the Real IRA massacre, in which 29 people and two unborn children were killed in Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity on August 15, 1998.
Amongst those offering affidavits in support of quashing the report are Sir Ronnie and former Assistant Chief Constable, Ray White.
The Ombudsman's office will offer affidavits from PSNI Acting Deputy Chief Constable Alan McQuillan and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kincaid, which it is understood will say that they were not in charge of the Omagh inquiry.
A report yesterday said that both men claim that they could not have assumed this role under the regime operated by Sir Ronnie and Mr White.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/459
Published Date: 20-Jan-03
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