RELATIVES CALL FOR FULL PROBE INTO OMAGH BOMBING
Relatives call for full probe into Omagh bombing
By Olga Bradshaw
MEMBERS of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group have now called for a full public inquiry into the events of the Omagh bombing in August 1998, which claimed the lives of 29 people and unborn twin baby girls.
Their demand came as the relatives of several of those killed in the atrocity revealed that the current Secretary of State, Mr. Paul Murphy, had declined their offer to meet him. The Northern Ireland Office has since denied that there was any snub intended by the decline of the invitation.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, was killed in the 1988 bombing, said there had been a number of inquiries on Omagh, but this had still not moved on and people felt they had received no justice. He said a full public inquiry was the only way to get to the truth.
The relatives of the Omagh dead have never called for a full public enquiry before, but now say that there have been so many accusations surrounding the circumstances of the atrocity that only a full inquiry will establish the truth of what happened.
Mr. Gallagher, who is chairman of the support group, said that at first the families had the RUC criminal investigation, which was then followed by the Brian McVicar review of the police investigation. This, he said, showed that the police hunt for those responsible, was 'going nowhere'.
"After that we had the police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report, much of which was based on Mr. McVicar's findings," he said.
Mr. Gallagher also said that Mr. Murphy had responded to their request of a meeting by suggesting that the relatives instead meet Des Browne, the Northern Ireland Office Minister with responsibility for Human Rights.
An NIO spokesman said no snub to the families was intended, and added: "The Secretary of State is very aware of the concerns of the Omagh Victims' Group, whose members have already entered into dialogue with Des Browne, the Victims Minister.
Dialogue
"The Secretary of State considers the best way forward for now is for this dialogue to continue, but as he made clear in a letter to the group he did not rule out a meeting in the future."
Meanwhile, Mr. Godfrey Wilson, who lost a daughter in the blast, said the group had called for an enquiry primarily because the situation they found themselves in had been going on for four-and-a-half years.
"We need it as we seem to be getting nowhere. The whole government system, we feel, has let us down and the only way to make progress and get truth is to get a public inquiry underway," Mr. Wilson said. Speaking on behalf of those bereaved families who are members of the group, Mr. Wilson said the bombing which claimed the life of his daughter and the lives of other loved ones was the biggest single atrocity in Northern Ireland, and people did not want to wait 30 years to find out the truth through the release of papers.
Justice
"There should be a public inquiry. Justice is our main aim you cannot murder, premeditate and murder 31 innocent souls. Democracy seems at the bottom of the pile where we are concerned, and there is only justice for terrorists and getting them out of jail. This is why we need a public inquiry because democracy seems to be going the wrong way," he said.
By Olga Bradshaw
MEMBERS of the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group have now called for a full public inquiry into the events of the Omagh bombing in August 1998, which claimed the lives of 29 people and unborn twin baby girls.
Their demand came as the relatives of several of those killed in the atrocity revealed that the current Secretary of State, Mr. Paul Murphy, had declined their offer to meet him. The Northern Ireland Office has since denied that there was any snub intended by the decline of the invitation.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, was killed in the 1988 bombing, said there had been a number of inquiries on Omagh, but this had still not moved on and people felt they had received no justice. He said a full public inquiry was the only way to get to the truth.
The relatives of the Omagh dead have never called for a full public enquiry before, but now say that there have been so many accusations surrounding the circumstances of the atrocity that only a full inquiry will establish the truth of what happened.
Mr. Gallagher, who is chairman of the support group, said that at first the families had the RUC criminal investigation, which was then followed by the Brian McVicar review of the police investigation. This, he said, showed that the police hunt for those responsible, was 'going nowhere'.
"After that we had the police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's report, much of which was based on Mr. McVicar's findings," he said.
Mr. Gallagher also said that Mr. Murphy had responded to their request of a meeting by suggesting that the relatives instead meet Des Browne, the Northern Ireland Office Minister with responsibility for Human Rights.
An NIO spokesman said no snub to the families was intended, and added: "The Secretary of State is very aware of the concerns of the Omagh Victims' Group, whose members have already entered into dialogue with Des Browne, the Victims Minister.
Dialogue
"The Secretary of State considers the best way forward for now is for this dialogue to continue, but as he made clear in a letter to the group he did not rule out a meeting in the future."
Meanwhile, Mr. Godfrey Wilson, who lost a daughter in the blast, said the group had called for an enquiry primarily because the situation they found themselves in had been going on for four-and-a-half years.
"We need it as we seem to be getting nowhere. The whole government system, we feel, has let us down and the only way to make progress and get truth is to get a public inquiry underway," Mr. Wilson said. Speaking on behalf of those bereaved families who are members of the group, Mr. Wilson said the bombing which claimed the life of his daughter and the lives of other loved ones was the biggest single atrocity in Northern Ireland, and people did not want to wait 30 years to find out the truth through the release of papers.
Justice
"There should be a public inquiry. Justice is our main aim you cannot murder, premeditate and murder 31 innocent souls. Democracy seems at the bottom of the pile where we are concerned, and there is only justice for terrorists and getting them out of jail. This is why we need a public inquiry because democracy seems to be going the wrong way," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1589
Published Date: 16-Jan-03
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