CLERIC VOWS TO CONSIDER OMAGH PLEA
Cleric vows to consider Omagh plea
BY GEMMA MURRAY
g.murray@newsletter.co.uk
THE leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland last night promised to consider whether he will back the Omagh families' campaign for a cross-border inquiry into the atrocity.
Speaking after a late meeting with Archbishop Sean Brady, Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among 29 people killed in the Real IRA bomb attack in August 1998, said it was important the Archbishop was made aware of how complex the Omagh inquiry is.
The families have grave concerns about the way the Omagh investigation is being handled.
"It is not as simple as most people would realise," Mr Gallagher said.
"He gave us a very good hearing and we left some information with him which he promised to look at and come back to us on.
"We urged him to come behind the families and support a full public inquiry but I don't think he could have done much more than what he did.
"He said he will come back to us with an answer."
The meeting in Armagh follows a series of discussions with Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist church leaders.
Before the meeting at the Archbishop's residence, Mr Gallagher said Prime Minister Tony Blair has also offered to meet them in Downing Street should he win the General Election.
"Our meeting with Archbishop Brady is part of an ongoing series of meetings with the main church leaders in Ireland who we know are very influential," he said.
"We have concerns, very serious concerns about the way the Omagh investigation has been handled.
"We know the importance of the churches and that Archbishop Brady has a lot of influence in Dublin which can obviously help us in our campaign for a cross-border public inquiry."
BY GEMMA MURRAY
g.murray@newsletter.co.uk
THE leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland last night promised to consider whether he will back the Omagh families' campaign for a cross-border inquiry into the atrocity.
Speaking after a late meeting with Archbishop Sean Brady, Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among 29 people killed in the Real IRA bomb attack in August 1998, said it was important the Archbishop was made aware of how complex the Omagh inquiry is.
The families have grave concerns about the way the Omagh investigation is being handled.
"It is not as simple as most people would realise," Mr Gallagher said.
"He gave us a very good hearing and we left some information with him which he promised to look at and come back to us on.
"We urged him to come behind the families and support a full public inquiry but I don't think he could have done much more than what he did.
"He said he will come back to us with an answer."
The meeting in Armagh follows a series of discussions with Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist church leaders.
Before the meeting at the Archbishop's residence, Mr Gallagher said Prime Minister Tony Blair has also offered to meet them in Downing Street should he win the General Election.
"Our meeting with Archbishop Brady is part of an ongoing series of meetings with the main church leaders in Ireland who we know are very influential," he said.
"We have concerns, very serious concerns about the way the Omagh investigation has been handled.
"We know the importance of the churches and that Archbishop Brady has a lot of influence in Dublin which can obviously help us in our campaign for a cross-border public inquiry."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/601
Published Date: 03-May-05
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