I TOTALLY CONDEMN IT COUNCILLOR IN U-TURN
I totally condemn it, councillor in U-turn
THE 32 County Sovereignty Committee member of Omagh District Council, Mr. Francis Mackey, yesterday condemned Saturday's atrocity, two days after he refused to do so in front of the world's Press.
In a statement, Mr. Mackey said he had been "totally misrepresented" by the media over the past few days, after he spoke to reporters on Monday.
Following an emergency meeting of the council, Mr. Mackey said there was "no justification under any circumstances for the killing of civilians".
But, under a constant barrage of questions by the Press, he refused to use the word "condemn", saying he was not getting into "word games".
However, a statement released by the council shortly afterwards, said the members "collectively condemned the attack on Omagh and its people".
The former Sinn Fein councillor, whose 19-year-old son was arrested by police during a raid on his Mountfield home early that morning, was besieged by journalists after leaving the meeting.
Mr. Mackey said the meeting, which was not open to the Press, had been a sombre one, where each councillor expressed heartfelt sadness at the disaster which had taken place in the town.
He said what had happened could only be described as a "catastrophe".
"Over the past number of days, I have had feelings of numbness, heartfelt sadness and, of course, sympathy for all those who have been bereaved, and the many hundreds injured," he said.
Everyone in Omagh had been affected, he said, and people were unable to put their feelings into words.
"Omagh now needs time for mourning. It is incumbent on all of us to allow the bereaved and injured, and the people in general, to have time to mourn, time to rebuild our town and to rebuild our lives," he said.
Mr. Mackey added: "No amount of words can express how I feel or how the people of Omagh feel, but I would say that there is not justification under any circumstances for the killing of civilians."
Questioned on whether he felt any moral responsibility for what had happened, he said he did not know who had planted the bomb, and added that all public representatives had a responsibility in what they said to the Press, how that was reported and how the public perceived it.
The 32 County Sovereignty Committee is closely aligned to the fanatical Real IRA, which, on Tuesday, claimed responsibility for the Omagh bombing.
However, Mr. Mackey denied that the committee was connected in any way with what took place.
He said that neither he, nor the 32 County movement, had been involved in any military activity to do with what had happened in Omagh on Saturday.
He said the reaction to what had happened in Omagh was for the security forces to come to his house at 7am and arrest his teenage son, who "the general public knows had nothing to do with it".
"Everyone in Omagh knows fine well that I have never at any stage in my life been involved in any military activity. What took place today is harassment of myself and my family," he said.
Asked repeatedly whether he condemned the atrocity, he said the media was "going back to word games".
"No amount of words from me will alleviate the suffering of the bereaved and injured. No justification under any circumstances can be made for what took place," he said.
He went on: "The situation is that I don't know who planted the bomb, and the true facts may never be known. The reality is that it took place. It is a terrible, terrible tragedy."
On Tuesday, the anti-intimidation group, Families Against Intimidation and Terror, called on Mr. Mackey to resign his council seat. And two leading members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, Bernadette Sands McKevitt and Michael McKevitt, have fled their Dundalk home, as anger mounts against the atrocity. Yesterday, Mr. Mackey challenged Press reports that he had not condemned the bombing.
"Contrary to reports that I did not condemn the terrible tragedy may I say this is not true," he said
"At the meeting on Monday morning, Omagh District Council agreed a formal response, of which I was part, to condemn the Market Street bomb.
"Later that day, I continued to make by position clear, when I said the killing of innocent people could not be justified in any circumstances."
And he added: "I totally condemn Saturday's atrocity."
Mr. Mackey went on to accuse the media of trying to "demonise" him, and those who shared a similar political ideology.
THE 32 County Sovereignty Committee member of Omagh District Council, Mr. Francis Mackey, yesterday condemned Saturday's atrocity, two days after he refused to do so in front of the world's Press.
In a statement, Mr. Mackey said he had been "totally misrepresented" by the media over the past few days, after he spoke to reporters on Monday.
Following an emergency meeting of the council, Mr. Mackey said there was "no justification under any circumstances for the killing of civilians".
But, under a constant barrage of questions by the Press, he refused to use the word "condemn", saying he was not getting into "word games".
However, a statement released by the council shortly afterwards, said the members "collectively condemned the attack on Omagh and its people".
The former Sinn Fein councillor, whose 19-year-old son was arrested by police during a raid on his Mountfield home early that morning, was besieged by journalists after leaving the meeting.
Mr. Mackey said the meeting, which was not open to the Press, had been a sombre one, where each councillor expressed heartfelt sadness at the disaster which had taken place in the town.
He said what had happened could only be described as a "catastrophe".
"Over the past number of days, I have had feelings of numbness, heartfelt sadness and, of course, sympathy for all those who have been bereaved, and the many hundreds injured," he said.
Everyone in Omagh had been affected, he said, and people were unable to put their feelings into words.
"Omagh now needs time for mourning. It is incumbent on all of us to allow the bereaved and injured, and the people in general, to have time to mourn, time to rebuild our town and to rebuild our lives," he said.
Mr. Mackey added: "No amount of words can express how I feel or how the people of Omagh feel, but I would say that there is not justification under any circumstances for the killing of civilians."
Questioned on whether he felt any moral responsibility for what had happened, he said he did not know who had planted the bomb, and added that all public representatives had a responsibility in what they said to the Press, how that was reported and how the public perceived it.
The 32 County Sovereignty Committee is closely aligned to the fanatical Real IRA, which, on Tuesday, claimed responsibility for the Omagh bombing.
However, Mr. Mackey denied that the committee was connected in any way with what took place.
He said that neither he, nor the 32 County movement, had been involved in any military activity to do with what had happened in Omagh on Saturday.
He said the reaction to what had happened in Omagh was for the security forces to come to his house at 7am and arrest his teenage son, who "the general public knows had nothing to do with it".
"Everyone in Omagh knows fine well that I have never at any stage in my life been involved in any military activity. What took place today is harassment of myself and my family," he said.
Asked repeatedly whether he condemned the atrocity, he said the media was "going back to word games".
"No amount of words from me will alleviate the suffering of the bereaved and injured. No justification under any circumstances can be made for what took place," he said.
He went on: "The situation is that I don't know who planted the bomb, and the true facts may never be known. The reality is that it took place. It is a terrible, terrible tragedy."
On Tuesday, the anti-intimidation group, Families Against Intimidation and Terror, called on Mr. Mackey to resign his council seat. And two leading members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, Bernadette Sands McKevitt and Michael McKevitt, have fled their Dundalk home, as anger mounts against the atrocity. Yesterday, Mr. Mackey challenged Press reports that he had not condemned the bombing.
"Contrary to reports that I did not condemn the terrible tragedy may I say this is not true," he said
"At the meeting on Monday morning, Omagh District Council agreed a formal response, of which I was part, to condemn the Market Street bomb.
"Later that day, I continued to make by position clear, when I said the killing of innocent people could not be justified in any circumstances."
And he added: "I totally condemn Saturday's atrocity."
Mr. Mackey went on to accuse the media of trying to "demonise" him, and those who shared a similar political ideology.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0110
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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