IRISH POWERS MUST DELIVER ON PROMISES
Irish powers must deliver on promises
THE tenth anniversary of the Omagh bombing is now only a matter of months away and the victims and their families are still searching for justice.
So far neither the PSNI nor the Garda have been able to make anyone amenable for the bombing and there was bitter disappointment last year when the high profile trial of a south Armagh man at Belfast Crown Court ended in acquittal. Few observers now seem to hold out any hope that the terrorists who carried out the atrocity will ever be caught.
It is a shocking state of affairs, especially in light of the promises made by the British and Irish governments as the people of Omagh were burying their innocent dead.
The then Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern pledged that the full might of the two states would be marshalled against the Real IRA and that the organisation would be crushed.
For the relatives of those who died, the story of the intervening years has been one of frustration as the initial RUC investigation came to nothing and was then pilloried by the Police Ombudsman. Many hopes were pinned on the revived PSNI inquiry but it again has not produced a conviction.
To their credit, the families have tried to succeed where the state failed them and are pursuing a civil case against five men they believe were part of the gang that killed their loved ones. A fortnight from the date when the trial is due to start, the Irish government, which holds the key to vital information, appears to be dragging its feet in response to requests for cooperation.
One can only hope that whatever obstacles exist can be overcome quickly, otherwise all the words of support that have emanated from Dublin will ring hollow indeed.
THE tenth anniversary of the Omagh bombing is now only a matter of months away and the victims and their families are still searching for justice.
So far neither the PSNI nor the Garda have been able to make anyone amenable for the bombing and there was bitter disappointment last year when the high profile trial of a south Armagh man at Belfast Crown Court ended in acquittal. Few observers now seem to hold out any hope that the terrorists who carried out the atrocity will ever be caught.
It is a shocking state of affairs, especially in light of the promises made by the British and Irish governments as the people of Omagh were burying their innocent dead.
The then Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern pledged that the full might of the two states would be marshalled against the Real IRA and that the organisation would be crushed.
For the relatives of those who died, the story of the intervening years has been one of frustration as the initial RUC investigation came to nothing and was then pilloried by the Police Ombudsman. Many hopes were pinned on the revived PSNI inquiry but it again has not produced a conviction.
To their credit, the families have tried to succeed where the state failed them and are pursuing a civil case against five men they believe were part of the gang that killed their loved ones. A fortnight from the date when the trial is due to start, the Irish government, which holds the key to vital information, appears to be dragging its feet in response to requests for cooperation.
One can only hope that whatever obstacles exist can be overcome quickly, otherwise all the words of support that have emanated from Dublin will ring hollow indeed.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/736
Published Date: 25-Mar-08
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