TC/1066

Omagh relatives to meet new bomb inquiry chief
By Karen McPhilemy

RELATIVES of some of those who died in the Omagh bomb attack in August 1998 are to meet with the new officer in charge of the investigation.
Relatives will meet Superintendent Norman Baxter and other senior officers on Tuesday of next week.
They are expected to ask senior police officers for a progress report on the investigation.
Meanwhile, last week some of the victims' relatives met Jane Kennedy, the Security Minister, in a bid to address issues that, almost four, years on, have made little development.
Among the issues tackled during the hour-and-a-half long meeting was Public Safety Compensation.
Speaking on this, Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Self-Help group, who attended the meeting, said: "The victims of Omagh were told after the atrocity that they would be given a fast track safety system for benefits and compensation. However so far many families have not received any money from the compensation agency.
"But the money is not what this is about, it is something that they can put behind them.
Mr Gallagher added that the meeting had passed over quite well and that there was a good turnout of a cross-section of the community who lost lives in the atrocity.
He added that there were still points that Ms Kennedy had to come back to them on in relation to what was discussed during the meeting.
Mr Gallagher continued by saying that in relation to the campaign for legal funds, they were now hopeful that within the next few months it would draw to a close.
"We have just crossed the £1 million mark and as our target is £1.5m, we are now in the final phase of the fundraising. However we are still depending on the community to support us and enable us to do that."
Speaking after the meeting, Jane Kennedy said a wide range of issues were discussed including compensation and treatment of victims, the Omagh bomb enquiry, emergency planning, parliamilitary fundraising, and North/South police cooperation.
"It is my sincere wish that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought before the courts. All energies should be focused on bringing those responsible to justice," she said.