MOWLAM PROMISES NO STONE WILL BE LEFT UNTURNED
Mowlam promises: 'no stone will be left unturned'
THE Secretary of State, Dr. Mo Mowlam, vowed to the people of Omagh on Tuesday, that no stone would be left unturned in the search for the bombers who ripped the heart out of the town at the weekend.
She gave her word as she visited the scene of what has been condemned as the worst carnage in the 30-year history of 'The Troubles'.
Speaking after touring the wrecked buildings in Market Street, she said: "My reaction is immediately just one of the evidence of the evil of the people, if you can call them people, who have done this.
"I just can't get out of my head the pain, the suffering that is going on. That is overwhelming," she said.
Dr. Mowlam said she had hoped bombs had been consigned to history, and stressed the importance of remembering the groups that had been involved in the talks process had not been responsible for the atrocity.
In a new call to the IRA to declare that their war was over, she said : "It is important to remember if we are going to make progress, what we want is some indication from all the groups - particularly those associated with paramilitaries - to make some very clear, positive statements.
"If we are going to get progress, now is the time to see that from all the groups concerned.
"I can assure the people of Omagh that we will do everything we can, and leave no stone unturned to make sure that the people who did this are caught."
Later, Dr. Mowlam spent the afternoon in talks with police chiefs from both sides of the border, looking at what could be done immediately to respond to the Omagh outrage.
She said that the Real IRA, who have since admitted the bombing, was a group of only 20 or 30 people.
And she welcomed a statement by the INLA's political wing that there is no longer any basis for "armed struggle", and added she hoped the INLA would respond positively.
The statement was in direct response to the Omagh tragedy, and it called on all republican groups to end their campaigns of violence.
In a move that followed weeks of speculation that an INLA ceasefire was imminent, the IRSP said that in the light of the referendum and the clearly expressed wishes of the people, there was no longer any basis for the armed struggle.
IRSP member, Mr. Fra Halligan said an INLA decision could be expected shortly.
"It is not a new thing, it has been going on for a long time," he said.
Meanwhile, the PUP's Mr. David Ervine warned that the UVF cease-fire could be crumbling under the pressure of continued republican brutality.
"It is not the end of the ceasefire, but it is not all good news," he said.
Meantime, a wide range of new security measures is being considered to prevent dissident republican terrorists bombing Ulster and using the Republic as a bolthole.
A key measure being seriously considered is giving judges the power to convict people of membership of banned terror groups on the word of senior police officers.
Other measures being considered include proscription of terror groups, internment, cross-border police cooperation, tougher police powers, the use of, secret intelligent services and apply pressure on 'mainstream' republican groups.
THE Secretary of State, Dr. Mo Mowlam, vowed to the people of Omagh on Tuesday, that no stone would be left unturned in the search for the bombers who ripped the heart out of the town at the weekend.
She gave her word as she visited the scene of what has been condemned as the worst carnage in the 30-year history of 'The Troubles'.
Speaking after touring the wrecked buildings in Market Street, she said: "My reaction is immediately just one of the evidence of the evil of the people, if you can call them people, who have done this.
"I just can't get out of my head the pain, the suffering that is going on. That is overwhelming," she said.
Dr. Mowlam said she had hoped bombs had been consigned to history, and stressed the importance of remembering the groups that had been involved in the talks process had not been responsible for the atrocity.
In a new call to the IRA to declare that their war was over, she said : "It is important to remember if we are going to make progress, what we want is some indication from all the groups - particularly those associated with paramilitaries - to make some very clear, positive statements.
"If we are going to get progress, now is the time to see that from all the groups concerned.
"I can assure the people of Omagh that we will do everything we can, and leave no stone unturned to make sure that the people who did this are caught."
Later, Dr. Mowlam spent the afternoon in talks with police chiefs from both sides of the border, looking at what could be done immediately to respond to the Omagh outrage.
She said that the Real IRA, who have since admitted the bombing, was a group of only 20 or 30 people.
And she welcomed a statement by the INLA's political wing that there is no longer any basis for "armed struggle", and added she hoped the INLA would respond positively.
The statement was in direct response to the Omagh tragedy, and it called on all republican groups to end their campaigns of violence.
In a move that followed weeks of speculation that an INLA ceasefire was imminent, the IRSP said that in the light of the referendum and the clearly expressed wishes of the people, there was no longer any basis for the armed struggle.
IRSP member, Mr. Fra Halligan said an INLA decision could be expected shortly.
"It is not a new thing, it has been going on for a long time," he said.
Meanwhile, the PUP's Mr. David Ervine warned that the UVF cease-fire could be crumbling under the pressure of continued republican brutality.
"It is not the end of the ceasefire, but it is not all good news," he said.
Meantime, a wide range of new security measures is being considered to prevent dissident republican terrorists bombing Ulster and using the Republic as a bolthole.
A key measure being seriously considered is giving judges the power to convict people of membership of banned terror groups on the word of senior police officers.
Other measures being considered include proscription of terror groups, internment, cross-border police cooperation, tougher police powers, the use of, secret intelligent services and apply pressure on 'mainstream' republican groups.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0039
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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