INQUIRY CALL BY OMAGH FAMILIES INTO BOMB PROBE
Inquiry call by Omagh families into bomb probe
RELATIVES of some of those who were killed in the August 1998 Omagh bombing have called for a full public inquiry into the way it has been investigated by the police. Their call came yesterday, Wednesday, after the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland report was published.
In it Mrs. Nuala O'Loan said the chances of detaining and convicting the Omagh bombers had been significantly reduced by 'seriously flawed' judgments by officers at the very top of the police command structure.
Mrs. Nuala O'Loan's office carried out an investigation into "the Omagh bomb enquiry after a double agent claimed he had passed on information to the then RUC Special Branch several days before the August 15 bombing of 1998.
Her report also revealed that 11 days before the attack, an anonymous telephone call was made to Omagh RUC station warning of plans to carry out a gun and rocket attack on police officers near Omagh on August 15.
The chief constable has accepted such a call was made, but it was assessed to have no merit, and details were not passed on to uniformed police officers.
Mrs. O'Loan was in Omagh yesterday to present a summary of her findings to relatives of those who died and to some of those who were injured.
Terrorists
At the outset, her report stresses: "The persons responsible for the Omagh bombing are the terrorists who planned and executed the atrocity. Nothing contained in this report should detract from that clear and unequivocal fact".
Her report is highly critical of some policing practices. The chief constable, though, has already said there are mistakes and misconceptions in the report. He had asked for more time to give a response. The Ombudsman's office refused, so the report published yesterday does not have any police response. A draft report was sent to the chief constable last week.
In what some have described as the most damning criticism of police practices. Mrs. O'Loan concludes:
"The victims, their families, the people of Omagh and officers of the RUC had been let down by defective leadership, poor judgment and lack of urgency"
She also said: "The Police Ombudsman has concluded, with great sadness that the judgment and leadership of the Chief Constable and ACC Crime have have been seriously flawed. As a result of that the chances of detaining and conflicting the Omagh bombers have been significantly reduced."
Some of the key aspects of the report were already in the public domain as a result of a leak to Belfast media sources last week.
Relatives leaving the meeting at the Silverbirch Hotel yesterday said that while they had been aware of some of the suggestions, they were still shocked by the detail of what were claimed to be inadequacies in the police investigation.
One of those to comment was Mr. Kevin Skelton, of Drumquin, whose wife died. He said that officers on the ground at the time of the Omagh bombing had done a magnificent job, but had been let down by the failings of senior officers.
Relatives of those who died began to arrive for the meeting at about 9.30am. The meeting began at 10am, and it was not until 12.50 that it concluded.
Because of the prior leaks, there was an extensive media presence with reporters, photographers and up to 10 TV camera crews waiting outside.
Inside, the relatives were met by Rev. Robert Herron and Rev. Kevin Mullan.
Members of the Order of Malta were present in case anyone needed medical help.
Some of the relatives left immediately after the meeting broke up. Relatives also took part in a press conference in the hotel.
Most relatives did not want to be interviewed as they left the meeting, but one woman who was present said there had been "a great silence" at times when parts of the report were read out.
She said that, in view of the report, some relatives felt badly let down by what they had previously been said to them by senior police officers.
"We were told that no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for the Omagh bombers. It is now clear that aspects were not properly investigated."
Shocked
Relatives had been shocked that, for a long period last year virtually nothing seemed to have been done in the investigation. The police team had been reduced by 42 per cent, and the most senior officer was a detective constable, the woman said.
And a woman who was injured in the blast said that, even given the findings of the Ombudsman, she did not believe that the bombing could have been prevented.
"I think the police did everything in their power that day. They must have been devastated themselves to have seen what was going on around them."
She added: "I hope now we can get something done to bring the people who did it to justice."
Mr. Skelton also told reporters that the policemen on the street did their job on the day of the blast.
"It does not take away from those who carried out the attack. The authorities did not plant the bomb, the Real IRA planted the bomb. What they [the authorities] failed to do was to track down and bring them to justice."
Mr. Skelton also commented that his son, Raymond, who was reported missing several weeks ago, had still not returned home.
"I am not looking forward to Christmas," he added.
RELATIVES of some of those who were killed in the August 1998 Omagh bombing have called for a full public inquiry into the way it has been investigated by the police. Their call came yesterday, Wednesday, after the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland report was published.
In it Mrs. Nuala O'Loan said the chances of detaining and convicting the Omagh bombers had been significantly reduced by 'seriously flawed' judgments by officers at the very top of the police command structure.
Mrs. Nuala O'Loan's office carried out an investigation into "the Omagh bomb enquiry after a double agent claimed he had passed on information to the then RUC Special Branch several days before the August 15 bombing of 1998.
Her report also revealed that 11 days before the attack, an anonymous telephone call was made to Omagh RUC station warning of plans to carry out a gun and rocket attack on police officers near Omagh on August 15.
The chief constable has accepted such a call was made, but it was assessed to have no merit, and details were not passed on to uniformed police officers.
Mrs. O'Loan was in Omagh yesterday to present a summary of her findings to relatives of those who died and to some of those who were injured.
Terrorists
At the outset, her report stresses: "The persons responsible for the Omagh bombing are the terrorists who planned and executed the atrocity. Nothing contained in this report should detract from that clear and unequivocal fact".
Her report is highly critical of some policing practices. The chief constable, though, has already said there are mistakes and misconceptions in the report. He had asked for more time to give a response. The Ombudsman's office refused, so the report published yesterday does not have any police response. A draft report was sent to the chief constable last week.
In what some have described as the most damning criticism of police practices. Mrs. O'Loan concludes:
"The victims, their families, the people of Omagh and officers of the RUC had been let down by defective leadership, poor judgment and lack of urgency"
She also said: "The Police Ombudsman has concluded, with great sadness that the judgment and leadership of the Chief Constable and ACC Crime have have been seriously flawed. As a result of that the chances of detaining and conflicting the Omagh bombers have been significantly reduced."
Some of the key aspects of the report were already in the public domain as a result of a leak to Belfast media sources last week.
Relatives leaving the meeting at the Silverbirch Hotel yesterday said that while they had been aware of some of the suggestions, they were still shocked by the detail of what were claimed to be inadequacies in the police investigation.
One of those to comment was Mr. Kevin Skelton, of Drumquin, whose wife died. He said that officers on the ground at the time of the Omagh bombing had done a magnificent job, but had been let down by the failings of senior officers.
Relatives of those who died began to arrive for the meeting at about 9.30am. The meeting began at 10am, and it was not until 12.50 that it concluded.
Because of the prior leaks, there was an extensive media presence with reporters, photographers and up to 10 TV camera crews waiting outside.
Inside, the relatives were met by Rev. Robert Herron and Rev. Kevin Mullan.
Members of the Order of Malta were present in case anyone needed medical help.
Some of the relatives left immediately after the meeting broke up. Relatives also took part in a press conference in the hotel.
Most relatives did not want to be interviewed as they left the meeting, but one woman who was present said there had been "a great silence" at times when parts of the report were read out.
She said that, in view of the report, some relatives felt badly let down by what they had previously been said to them by senior police officers.
"We were told that no stone would be left unturned in the hunt for the Omagh bombers. It is now clear that aspects were not properly investigated."
Shocked
Relatives had been shocked that, for a long period last year virtually nothing seemed to have been done in the investigation. The police team had been reduced by 42 per cent, and the most senior officer was a detective constable, the woman said.
And a woman who was injured in the blast said that, even given the findings of the Ombudsman, she did not believe that the bombing could have been prevented.
"I think the police did everything in their power that day. They must have been devastated themselves to have seen what was going on around them."
She added: "I hope now we can get something done to bring the people who did it to justice."
Mr. Skelton also told reporters that the policemen on the street did their job on the day of the blast.
"It does not take away from those who carried out the attack. The authorities did not plant the bomb, the Real IRA planted the bomb. What they [the authorities] failed to do was to track down and bring them to justice."
Mr. Skelton also commented that his son, Raymond, who was reported missing several weeks ago, had still not returned home.
"I am not looking forward to Christmas," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0954
Published Date: 13-Dec-01
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