AHERN ACCUSED OF OMAGH BETRAYAL
AHERN ACCUSED OF OMAGH BETRAYAL
BY COLIN O'CARROLL
c.ocarroll@newsletter.co.uk
THE Omagh bomb families have accused Irish premier Bertie Ahern of betrayal over his government's lack of cooperation with their court case against people they believe carried out the atrocity.
And, in an RTE programme to be screened tonight, they say vital evidence is being held back by the Garda - with no-one giving them straight answers as to why.
Victims' spokesperson Michael Gallagher said: "If the Dublin government is serious about dealing with terrorism in this country, what they will have to do is stand up and be counted and sadly to date they have not done that."
The civil action against five men accused by the victims' relatives of carrying out the bombing will begin in Belfast in just under a fortnight.
Among them is Michael McKevitt, who is serving 20 years for directing terrorism, and Colm Murphy, who is currently awaiting a criminal retrial charged with conspiracy in the bombing.
The relatives hope the courts will award them damages against the five, who they believe were behind the Real IRA atrocity.
The bomb in 1998 killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with unborn twins. Hundreds more were injured, many seriously.
On RTE's Prime Time Bertie Ahern is shown saying at the time of the attack he was determined to bring the perpetrators of the bombing to justice.
He said: "They should be in no doubt about our determination to do everything we can to assist in bringing the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice.
"We are determined that the people of this island, north and south, will enjoy the peace they democratically endorsed and that the victims of Omagh will have justice."
He is also shown saying: "I say to the people of Omagh: a terrible wrong was done to you. We will continue to grieve for you and support you in any way we can."
But Mr Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the blast, says in the film: "We have had continuous promise after promise, even from the taoiseach himself last week saying they would do everything possible.
"But in reality the substance is very little because we are still waiting."
The families say the most crucial evidence is held by the Garda in Dublin and that their case will be severely undermined if they don't get access to it.
They've been pursuing the Republic's Department of Justice and Mr Ahern for access to the Garda evidence but with the case now less than two weeks away they say they've still to get a straight answer.
The Irish Department of Justice told Belfast-based programme-makers Below The Radar that it categorically rejected suggestions it was dragging its feet.
It said: "While the frustrations of the relatives are appreciated and regretted, there is a legal process under way.
"The minister has raised the civil action personally with the Garda Commissioner and has been assured that the Garda will be of all possible assistance in relation to giving evidence in the case, subject to any legal constraints that may arise."
The families say this statement highlights their position.
They say that for years the Irish government has been promising "all possible assistance" but the families don't know exactly what that means or what Justice Minister Brian Lenihan is concerned about when he talks of "legal constraints".
Carol Radford, whose brother Alan died in the explosion, said: "They could cut this red tape and make this go away for us if the will was there - but the will's not there."
Victor Barker, whose son James was killed, helped start the civil action but later withdrew from it although he still supports those involved.
He said: "You ask very specific questions but you never get a specific answer.
"You get some detail but you always get a repetition of how important it is that the peace process goes forward.
"It's almost as if, you're being told, 'We'd like to help you but we've done enough'."
Prime Time is on RTE 1 tonight at 9.30pm.
BY COLIN O'CARROLL
c.ocarroll@newsletter.co.uk
THE Omagh bomb families have accused Irish premier Bertie Ahern of betrayal over his government's lack of cooperation with their court case against people they believe carried out the atrocity.
And, in an RTE programme to be screened tonight, they say vital evidence is being held back by the Garda - with no-one giving them straight answers as to why.
Victims' spokesperson Michael Gallagher said: "If the Dublin government is serious about dealing with terrorism in this country, what they will have to do is stand up and be counted and sadly to date they have not done that."
The civil action against five men accused by the victims' relatives of carrying out the bombing will begin in Belfast in just under a fortnight.
Among them is Michael McKevitt, who is serving 20 years for directing terrorism, and Colm Murphy, who is currently awaiting a criminal retrial charged with conspiracy in the bombing.
The relatives hope the courts will award them damages against the five, who they believe were behind the Real IRA atrocity.
The bomb in 1998 killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with unborn twins. Hundreds more were injured, many seriously.
On RTE's Prime Time Bertie Ahern is shown saying at the time of the attack he was determined to bring the perpetrators of the bombing to justice.
He said: "They should be in no doubt about our determination to do everything we can to assist in bringing the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice.
"We are determined that the people of this island, north and south, will enjoy the peace they democratically endorsed and that the victims of Omagh will have justice."
He is also shown saying: "I say to the people of Omagh: a terrible wrong was done to you. We will continue to grieve for you and support you in any way we can."
But Mr Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the blast, says in the film: "We have had continuous promise after promise, even from the taoiseach himself last week saying they would do everything possible.
"But in reality the substance is very little because we are still waiting."
The families say the most crucial evidence is held by the Garda in Dublin and that their case will be severely undermined if they don't get access to it.
They've been pursuing the Republic's Department of Justice and Mr Ahern for access to the Garda evidence but with the case now less than two weeks away they say they've still to get a straight answer.
The Irish Department of Justice told Belfast-based programme-makers Below The Radar that it categorically rejected suggestions it was dragging its feet.
It said: "While the frustrations of the relatives are appreciated and regretted, there is a legal process under way.
"The minister has raised the civil action personally with the Garda Commissioner and has been assured that the Garda will be of all possible assistance in relation to giving evidence in the case, subject to any legal constraints that may arise."
The families say this statement highlights their position.
They say that for years the Irish government has been promising "all possible assistance" but the families don't know exactly what that means or what Justice Minister Brian Lenihan is concerned about when he talks of "legal constraints".
Carol Radford, whose brother Alan died in the explosion, said: "They could cut this red tape and make this go away for us if the will was there - but the will's not there."
Victor Barker, whose son James was killed, helped start the civil action but later withdrew from it although he still supports those involved.
He said: "You ask very specific questions but you never get a specific answer.
"You get some detail but you always get a repetition of how important it is that the peace process goes forward.
"It's almost as if, you're being told, 'We'd like to help you but we've done enough'."
Prime Time is on RTE 1 tonight at 9.30pm.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/735
Published Date: 25-Mar-08
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