MP TELLS COMMONS OF HARROWING SCENES IN AFTERMATH OF CAR BOMB
MP tells commons of 'harrowing scenes' in aftermath of car bomb
Every decent person in Northern Ireland wants the Omagh bomb atrocity to be the last, West Tyrone MP, Mr. William Thompson, said in the House of Commons.
Speaking during a debate on proposed new anti-terror legislation, Mr. Thompson said he welcomed the proposals as far as they went, though felt they were "too late, and too little".
And Mr. Thompson praised the work of all in the emergency services who had worked among harrowing scenes at Market Street on August 15, and in the aftermath.
He told the House "Every decent person in Northern Ireland wants that bomb to be the last. We never want to see a bomb outrage like that again".
The House of Commons debate took place before the Real IRA, which claimed it planted the bomb, announced a ceasefire, and Mr Thompson said he accepted the security forces assessment that the bomb was a deliberate attempt to kill men, women and children.
"It is hard to believe that people with such evil intentions are in our numbers of the injured increased and relatives thronged the corridors searching for their loved ones whom they knew had been in the town and were unaccounted for.
Mr Thompson said no one who was there would forget the scenes at the leisure centre as lists of the identified victims from the various hospitals were put on notice boards.
"Above all, there was the anguish of those whose relatives were unaccounted for, and who waited with decaying hope for news of their loved one", he said.
He also paid tribute to the work of the staff at the various hospitals to which injured people were transferred.
Said Mr. Thompson: "Bombs are indiscriminate, they kill Protestants, Roman Catholics and Mormons; they kill all types of people; they kill children, mothers, grandmothers, sons and daughters. There are many people in Omagh today who mourn the loss of their loved ones."
Mr Thompson went on to thank the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, and the Secretary of State, Dr Mo Mowlan for visiting Omagh.
"I should also like to thank the Prince of Wales for coming. He has known something of sorrow and distress, and when he came to Omagh, he readily identified with us, and we felt he empathized with us in our tragedy.
Mr Thompson also paid tribute to the Press and Media commenting: "Sometimes they are criticized but, except for one unfortunate (television) programme, they behaved with extreme decency, were very understanding and did a good job."
Every decent person in Northern Ireland wants the Omagh bomb atrocity to be the last, West Tyrone MP, Mr. William Thompson, said in the House of Commons.
Speaking during a debate on proposed new anti-terror legislation, Mr. Thompson said he welcomed the proposals as far as they went, though felt they were "too late, and too little".
And Mr. Thompson praised the work of all in the emergency services who had worked among harrowing scenes at Market Street on August 15, and in the aftermath.
He told the House "Every decent person in Northern Ireland wants that bomb to be the last. We never want to see a bomb outrage like that again".
The House of Commons debate took place before the Real IRA, which claimed it planted the bomb, announced a ceasefire, and Mr Thompson said he accepted the security forces assessment that the bomb was a deliberate attempt to kill men, women and children.
"It is hard to believe that people with such evil intentions are in our numbers of the injured increased and relatives thronged the corridors searching for their loved ones whom they knew had been in the town and were unaccounted for.
Mr Thompson said no one who was there would forget the scenes at the leisure centre as lists of the identified victims from the various hospitals were put on notice boards.
"Above all, there was the anguish of those whose relatives were unaccounted for, and who waited with decaying hope for news of their loved one", he said.
He also paid tribute to the work of the staff at the various hospitals to which injured people were transferred.
Said Mr. Thompson: "Bombs are indiscriminate, they kill Protestants, Roman Catholics and Mormons; they kill all types of people; they kill children, mothers, grandmothers, sons and daughters. There are many people in Omagh today who mourn the loss of their loved ones."
Mr Thompson went on to thank the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, and the Secretary of State, Dr Mo Mowlan for visiting Omagh.
"I should also like to thank the Prince of Wales for coming. He has known something of sorrow and distress, and when he came to Omagh, he readily identified with us, and we felt he empathized with us in our tragedy.
Mr Thompson also paid tribute to the Press and Media commenting: "Sometimes they are criticized but, except for one unfortunate (television) programme, they behaved with extreme decency, were very understanding and did a good job."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1172
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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