OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS JUST AS MUCH TO BLAME
Other senior officers just as much to blame'
BY DERIC HENDERSON
THE detective who first exposed the Omagh police investigation fiasco last night defended Sir Ronnie Flanagan and blamed other retired senior officers for the bungled probe into the bomb atrocity.
Ex-Chief Superintendent Brian McVicker said: "These are the people who should be held to account. They have washed their hands of it."
His criticism of one-time colleagues followed an apology to victims' relatives by Sir Ronnie, the former RUC Chief Constable, over the deficiencies in the failed initial inquiry.
But Mr McVicker, speaking publicly for the first time about the affair, insisted that other senior officers - all of them retired - were primarily responsible.
He told the Press Association: "Sir Ronnie is taking the rap for Omagh as he must because he was in charge of the RUC at the time.
"He was the top layer of supervision but there were others just below him, the men on the ground.
"They are just as much to blame as he is and they've escaped all the abuse and criticism Sir Ronnie is having to take. That is unfair."
Mr McVicker was called in by Sir Ronnie in March 2000 to carry out a full review of the first investigation of the August 1998 atrocity by the Real IRA which claimed the lives of 29 people.
It was a devastating report which revealed serious shortcomings and a failure by officers to follow up inquiries with people he believed to be key witnesses.
He also disclosed the loss of hundreds of documents and tensions between certain RUC officers and Garda detectives in the Republic who were involved in the investigation on their side of the border where the bomb was assembled.
It was the McVicker dossier which effectively formed the basis of a damning report prepared later by the then Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan and which ended in a fierce row between her and Sir Ronnie who refused demands to resign when she accused him of defective leadership and poor judgment.
He retired from the RUC in March 2002 and is now head of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Mr McVicker later agreed to take charge of the Omagh investigation but then walked away after he claimed he was not getting the proper resources he said he was promised to staff it up.
He retired in April 2002.
He said: "Of course Sir Ronnie had a responsibility to bring the bombers to justice - but in my view the greater responsibility for the success of the investigation lay with those ACCs [Assistant Chief Constables] and other senior officers who were in charge of Omagh.
"I do not believe he should resign from his present position. If there were shortcomings in the latest investigation, you can't blame him for that."
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was also killed, said Sir Ronnie's apology was a positive step - but the victims' families still wanted a full north-south judicial inquiry.
He added: "I think it is important that people remember there have been investigations into the Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland and the Republic for over nine-and-a-half years.
"There have been serious failings at all levels on both sides of the border and the only way to address all these issues is through a comprehensive independent cross-border public inquiry rather than having them raised in a piecemeal fashion.
"Sir Ronnie is someone who could bring a lot of knowledge and help to an independent inquiry and I would hope he would freely go and open up."
A High Court civil action by the Omagh families seeking compensation from five men they claim were involved in the bombing is scheduled to start in Belfast in April.
Next week they are due to meet with members of Northern Ireland's Policing Board to discuss plans to conduct an independent review of the police investigations into the atrocity.
Mr Gallagher added: "They are talking about someone coming in to look at the investigation, to see how things can progress and see if there are any evidential opportunities that can be exploited.
"I think a cross-border independent inquiry could do all that in a more comprehensive way.
"The Policing Board can only deal with part of the picture because there are issues out of their control -issues in the Republic for example.
"It is positive that they are coming to meet the families but I would also say there are a number of individuals and organisations who have questions to answer on the Omagh investigation."
BY DERIC HENDERSON
THE detective who first exposed the Omagh police investigation fiasco last night defended Sir Ronnie Flanagan and blamed other retired senior officers for the bungled probe into the bomb atrocity.
Ex-Chief Superintendent Brian McVicker said: "These are the people who should be held to account. They have washed their hands of it."
His criticism of one-time colleagues followed an apology to victims' relatives by Sir Ronnie, the former RUC Chief Constable, over the deficiencies in the failed initial inquiry.
But Mr McVicker, speaking publicly for the first time about the affair, insisted that other senior officers - all of them retired - were primarily responsible.
He told the Press Association: "Sir Ronnie is taking the rap for Omagh as he must because he was in charge of the RUC at the time.
"He was the top layer of supervision but there were others just below him, the men on the ground.
"They are just as much to blame as he is and they've escaped all the abuse and criticism Sir Ronnie is having to take. That is unfair."
Mr McVicker was called in by Sir Ronnie in March 2000 to carry out a full review of the first investigation of the August 1998 atrocity by the Real IRA which claimed the lives of 29 people.
It was a devastating report which revealed serious shortcomings and a failure by officers to follow up inquiries with people he believed to be key witnesses.
He also disclosed the loss of hundreds of documents and tensions between certain RUC officers and Garda detectives in the Republic who were involved in the investigation on their side of the border where the bomb was assembled.
It was the McVicker dossier which effectively formed the basis of a damning report prepared later by the then Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan and which ended in a fierce row between her and Sir Ronnie who refused demands to resign when she accused him of defective leadership and poor judgment.
He retired from the RUC in March 2002 and is now head of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Mr McVicker later agreed to take charge of the Omagh investigation but then walked away after he claimed he was not getting the proper resources he said he was promised to staff it up.
He retired in April 2002.
He said: "Of course Sir Ronnie had a responsibility to bring the bombers to justice - but in my view the greater responsibility for the success of the investigation lay with those ACCs [Assistant Chief Constables] and other senior officers who were in charge of Omagh.
"I do not believe he should resign from his present position. If there were shortcomings in the latest investigation, you can't blame him for that."
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was also killed, said Sir Ronnie's apology was a positive step - but the victims' families still wanted a full north-south judicial inquiry.
He added: "I think it is important that people remember there have been investigations into the Omagh bomb in Northern Ireland and the Republic for over nine-and-a-half years.
"There have been serious failings at all levels on both sides of the border and the only way to address all these issues is through a comprehensive independent cross-border public inquiry rather than having them raised in a piecemeal fashion.
"Sir Ronnie is someone who could bring a lot of knowledge and help to an independent inquiry and I would hope he would freely go and open up."
A High Court civil action by the Omagh families seeking compensation from five men they claim were involved in the bombing is scheduled to start in Belfast in April.
Next week they are due to meet with members of Northern Ireland's Policing Board to discuss plans to conduct an independent review of the police investigations into the atrocity.
Mr Gallagher added: "They are talking about someone coming in to look at the investigation, to see how things can progress and see if there are any evidential opportunities that can be exploited.
"I think a cross-border independent inquiry could do all that in a more comprehensive way.
"The Policing Board can only deal with part of the picture because there are issues out of their control -issues in the Republic for example.
"It is positive that they are coming to meet the families but I would also say there are a number of individuals and organisations who have questions to answer on the Omagh investigation."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/723
Published Date: 25-Jan-08
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