OMAGH: NO AMNESTY FOR BOMBERS
Omagh: no amnesty for bombers
BY ANDREW WOODCOCK
RELATIVES of the victims of the Omagh bombings yesterday said they had received assurances from Prime Minister Tony Blair that no-one connected with the 1998 atrocity would be granted an amnesty, even if they are members of Sinn Fein or the IRA.
Representatives of the 29 victims and those injured in the blast held talks lasting 45 minutes with Mr Blair at 10 Downing Street to press their case for a full cross-border public inquiry.
Speaking after the talks, they said the Prime Minister told them an inquiry would be impossible until current civil and criminal court cases arising from the blast were completed, but did not rule out meeting their request after that point.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden, 21, was killed in the no-warning attack, said Mr Blair had been "very supportive and as helpful as he could have been".
He said Mr Blair had offered the assistance of a senior civil servant to help the families with their work and promised to look at a dossier which they had prepared making the case for an inquiry.
Victor Barker, from Surrey, whose 12-year-old son James died at Omagh, said the families had secured an unequivocal promise that there would be no amnesty for those responsible.
"The assurance we sought was that if there were any members of Sinn Fein or IRA that were involved in the Omagh bomb, whether or not they are on the run, they would receive no amnesty in respect of the 1998 atrocity in Omagh," said Mr Barker.
"That assurance was given us unequivocally."
Mr Gallagher said: "I think there are certain undertakings that the Prime Minister has given this afternoon that we will hold him to, and I have no doubt that he will carry them through.
"I think we had a fair hearing and we put the case strongly, so we are very happy with the outcome of the meeting.
"We are realistic enough to know that we would never have a public inquiry in any case until the current cases are dealt with."
Mr Gallagher said that the families were determined to press on with their fight for the truth, no matter how long it took.
"Some of the people close to the Prime Minister have been a bit naive in the way they have handled the Omagh bomb and they have underestimated the families' determination to get to the truth," he said.
"We are determined that we will get to the bottom of what happened at Omagh, however long it takes. I would like to see it in my lifetime."
Mr Gallagher said that he reminded Mr Blair of his comment in the wake of the bombing that there would be "no hiding place" for those responsible.
The families have been lobbying for five years to meet the Prime Minister.
Mr Gallagher said that Mr Blair did not rule out a further meeting once the current court cases were settled, although he pointed out that he may no longer be Prime Minister at that point.
One man is currently facing charges in connection with the Co Tyrone blast, which resulted in the largest single loss of life of the Troubles.
But the trial of Sean Hoey, 36, of Jonesborough, Co Armagh, is unlikely to go ahead until well into next year.
BY ANDREW WOODCOCK
RELATIVES of the victims of the Omagh bombings yesterday said they had received assurances from Prime Minister Tony Blair that no-one connected with the 1998 atrocity would be granted an amnesty, even if they are members of Sinn Fein or the IRA.
Representatives of the 29 victims and those injured in the blast held talks lasting 45 minutes with Mr Blair at 10 Downing Street to press their case for a full cross-border public inquiry.
Speaking after the talks, they said the Prime Minister told them an inquiry would be impossible until current civil and criminal court cases arising from the blast were completed, but did not rule out meeting their request after that point.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden, 21, was killed in the no-warning attack, said Mr Blair had been "very supportive and as helpful as he could have been".
He said Mr Blair had offered the assistance of a senior civil servant to help the families with their work and promised to look at a dossier which they had prepared making the case for an inquiry.
Victor Barker, from Surrey, whose 12-year-old son James died at Omagh, said the families had secured an unequivocal promise that there would be no amnesty for those responsible.
"The assurance we sought was that if there were any members of Sinn Fein or IRA that were involved in the Omagh bomb, whether or not they are on the run, they would receive no amnesty in respect of the 1998 atrocity in Omagh," said Mr Barker.
"That assurance was given us unequivocally."
Mr Gallagher said: "I think there are certain undertakings that the Prime Minister has given this afternoon that we will hold him to, and I have no doubt that he will carry them through.
"I think we had a fair hearing and we put the case strongly, so we are very happy with the outcome of the meeting.
"We are realistic enough to know that we would never have a public inquiry in any case until the current cases are dealt with."
Mr Gallagher said that the families were determined to press on with their fight for the truth, no matter how long it took.
"Some of the people close to the Prime Minister have been a bit naive in the way they have handled the Omagh bomb and they have underestimated the families' determination to get to the truth," he said.
"We are determined that we will get to the bottom of what happened at Omagh, however long it takes. I would like to see it in my lifetime."
Mr Gallagher said that he reminded Mr Blair of his comment in the wake of the bombing that there would be "no hiding place" for those responsible.
The families have been lobbying for five years to meet the Prime Minister.
Mr Gallagher said that Mr Blair did not rule out a further meeting once the current court cases were settled, although he pointed out that he may no longer be Prime Minister at that point.
One man is currently facing charges in connection with the Co Tyrone blast, which resulted in the largest single loss of life of the Troubles.
But the trial of Sean Hoey, 36, of Jonesborough, Co Armagh, is unlikely to go ahead until well into next year.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/637
Published Date: 30-Nov-05
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