MPS AGREED TO TAKE OUR ARGUMENTS ON BOARD - BEREAVED FATHER
MPs agreed to take our arguments on board - Bereaved father
by Karen McPhilemy
Michael Gallagher and Godfrey Wilson, both fathers of Omagh victims, were among those who travelled to Stormont where they met with MPs from Westminster's Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and put forward to them their case for the public inquiry.
During the hour-long meeting the relatives put forth a number of arguments over the case including claims that intelligence agencies are 'holding back' information in their pursuit of those behind the bombing.
Commenting on the meeting, Mr Wilson, whose daughter, Lorraine, was one of those killed in the attack 10 years ago, said: "We are pleased with the outcome of the meeting and the fact that these MPs allowed us the time to put our points of view to them. They were very reasonable throughout the meeting and have agreed to take our arguments for a cross-border public inquiry on board and are to come back to us at a later date."
Referring to claims that intelligence agencies have been 'holding back', Mr Wilson, continued: "Information has been coming out in dribs and drabs. The way the whole case has been handled over the past 10 years has been a big let down. And to find out that GCHQ (Government Communication Headquarters) had monitored this dissident grouping and subsequently been withholding information from us leaves us with a very negative line of thinking.
"We do believe that more could have been done in our case against those responsible, and perhaps the atrocity could have been stopped and avoided altogether seeing as how the GCHQ had been monitoring them. We do not believe the whole truth will come out until we get a cross-border public inquiry."
Mr Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, died in the bomb, told those on the Westminster Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that the families 'need closure' and to do that people must be put in jail for what they've done.
"The families need closure. What we have is a catalogue of failings and shortcomings over the last 10 years and that has to be addressed in a proper and transparent way.
"The only way that can be done is engaging in a judicial framework."
by Karen McPhilemy
Michael Gallagher and Godfrey Wilson, both fathers of Omagh victims, were among those who travelled to Stormont where they met with MPs from Westminster's Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and put forward to them their case for the public inquiry.
During the hour-long meeting the relatives put forth a number of arguments over the case including claims that intelligence agencies are 'holding back' information in their pursuit of those behind the bombing.
Commenting on the meeting, Mr Wilson, whose daughter, Lorraine, was one of those killed in the attack 10 years ago, said: "We are pleased with the outcome of the meeting and the fact that these MPs allowed us the time to put our points of view to them. They were very reasonable throughout the meeting and have agreed to take our arguments for a cross-border public inquiry on board and are to come back to us at a later date."
Referring to claims that intelligence agencies have been 'holding back', Mr Wilson, continued: "Information has been coming out in dribs and drabs. The way the whole case has been handled over the past 10 years has been a big let down. And to find out that GCHQ (Government Communication Headquarters) had monitored this dissident grouping and subsequently been withholding information from us leaves us with a very negative line of thinking.
"We do believe that more could have been done in our case against those responsible, and perhaps the atrocity could have been stopped and avoided altogether seeing as how the GCHQ had been monitoring them. We do not believe the whole truth will come out until we get a cross-border public inquiry."
Mr Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, died in the bomb, told those on the Westminster Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that the families 'need closure' and to do that people must be put in jail for what they've done.
"The families need closure. What we have is a catalogue of failings and shortcomings over the last 10 years and that has to be addressed in a proper and transparent way.
"The only way that can be done is engaging in a judicial framework."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1866
Published Date: 19-Mar-09
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