BUTCHERS
Butchers
Police know the killer and fear he will strike again
by Dan Collins and Joe Oliver
THE TERRORIST leader suspected of orchestrating the massacre of the innocents in Omagh, Co Tyrone, in which 28 people were butchered, including nine children and 13 women, is known to the security forces on both sides of the Border.
Believed to be the former IRA quartermaster, who founded the self-styled Real IRA, is still at large. Furthermore, he is regarded by both the Gardai and the RUC as somebody capable of masterminding further acts of terrorism.
It emerged yesterday that three generations of one family - including a pregnant mother carrying twins - were among the 28 innocent people blown to pieces by the 500lb carnival day car bomb.
The majority of the fatalities were women and children, including three school children from Buncranna, County Donegal, and a total of 220 people were injured in Saturday's blast which destroyed the town centre.
A major crackdown on splinter terrorist groups was promised by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, yesterday, as the Government moved to review the security threat posed by organisations which are opposed to the Northern Ireland peace agreement.
Mr Ahern voiced his determination to take whatever action necessary to crush the threat posed by paramilitary groups, after yesterday's meeting of the cabinet's security sub-committee.
Yesterday, the Taoiseach met with Minister of State at Foreign Affairs Liz O'Donnell, Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne and the head of the Garda security and crime division, Assistant Commissioner Pat O'Toole, as well as officials from several Government departments.
Following the meeting, Mr Ahern said nothing -including the possibility of re-introducing internment - could be ruled out.
Mr Ahern said he had no doubt that the dissidents styling themselves the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the political wing of the Real IRA were behind the Omagh bomb. "Whatever resources are necessary to crush this organisation will be given," he pledged.
President Mary McAleese, who visited the scene of the blast yesterday, said she was "deeply shocked."The bombing has obliterated the hopes and dreams of so many families in one cruel afternoon of purposeless terrorism," said President McAleese. She said everything had to be done to ensure that the people responsible for the atrocity would face the full rigour of the law.
Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue arrived back in Dublin Airport last night after cutting short his holiday and pledged that no group of terrorists would be allowed to subvert the Northern Ireland peace initiative.
"The people who have perpetrated this heinous and most awful crime will be brought to justice," the Minister promised.
US President Bill Clinton condemned the "butchery" of the Omagh bombing and said he did not intend to let it interfere with his visit to Northern Ireland next month.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair broke off his holiday in France to fly to the North to meet political leaders and pledged the killers would not be allowed to wreck the Northern Ireland peace process: "We will not let these people wreck the future. The future belongs to the decent people of Northern Ireland. It doesn't belong to the criminals and psychopaths," he told reporters. "They are a small group of people, a tiny fanatical group of people. They have no political base, they have no votes, they have no support in Northern Ireland. They have just this capacity for evil."
Yesterday, the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister met at Stormont House after which both men said the Irish and British governments would work closely to "crush" the individuals responsible for the Omagh atrocity.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams was jostled and jeered yesterday by people waiting at the emergency centre in Omagh for news of missing friends and relatives. Mr Adams condemned the bombing "without any equivocation whatsoever."
Last night, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement issued the following statement: "We are deeply saddened and devastated by the terrible tragedy in Omagh. We share the grief and sorrow of everyone on the island of Ireland and we offer our sincere sympathy to the injured, the bereaved, their families and friends at this time. The killing of innocent people cannot be justified . . . We reject categorically any suggestion that has been publicly made that our movement was responsible in any way." However, the first rumblings from those connected to RIRA's political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, hinted that the phone warning of the bomb had been accurate and explicit about the stolen car's location.
But police were in no doubt they had deliberately provided the wrong information in order to maximise casualties. Forensic experts were still examining the remains of the devastated car. Its number plates were vaporised in the explosion but police have suggested the vehicle was hijacked in the Republic some days ago.
Two Spaniards became the first tourists to be killed in Northern Ireland's troubles. A woman teacher and pupil, who were visiting Omagh as part of an exchange group from. Madrid staying in Buncranna, County Donegal, were caught in the terrorist maelstrom.
Three months ago, an overwhelming majority of the 20,000 people of Omagh voted in favour of the Good Friday peace agreement.
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
Police know the killer and fear he will strike again
by Dan Collins and Joe Oliver
THE TERRORIST leader suspected of orchestrating the massacre of the innocents in Omagh, Co Tyrone, in which 28 people were butchered, including nine children and 13 women, is known to the security forces on both sides of the Border.
Believed to be the former IRA quartermaster, who founded the self-styled Real IRA, is still at large. Furthermore, he is regarded by both the Gardai and the RUC as somebody capable of masterminding further acts of terrorism.
It emerged yesterday that three generations of one family - including a pregnant mother carrying twins - were among the 28 innocent people blown to pieces by the 500lb carnival day car bomb.
The majority of the fatalities were women and children, including three school children from Buncranna, County Donegal, and a total of 220 people were injured in Saturday's blast which destroyed the town centre.
A major crackdown on splinter terrorist groups was promised by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, yesterday, as the Government moved to review the security threat posed by organisations which are opposed to the Northern Ireland peace agreement.
Mr Ahern voiced his determination to take whatever action necessary to crush the threat posed by paramilitary groups, after yesterday's meeting of the cabinet's security sub-committee.
Yesterday, the Taoiseach met with Minister of State at Foreign Affairs Liz O'Donnell, Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne and the head of the Garda security and crime division, Assistant Commissioner Pat O'Toole, as well as officials from several Government departments.
Following the meeting, Mr Ahern said nothing -including the possibility of re-introducing internment - could be ruled out.
Mr Ahern said he had no doubt that the dissidents styling themselves the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the political wing of the Real IRA were behind the Omagh bomb. "Whatever resources are necessary to crush this organisation will be given," he pledged.
President Mary McAleese, who visited the scene of the blast yesterday, said she was "deeply shocked."The bombing has obliterated the hopes and dreams of so many families in one cruel afternoon of purposeless terrorism," said President McAleese. She said everything had to be done to ensure that the people responsible for the atrocity would face the full rigour of the law.
Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue arrived back in Dublin Airport last night after cutting short his holiday and pledged that no group of terrorists would be allowed to subvert the Northern Ireland peace initiative.
"The people who have perpetrated this heinous and most awful crime will be brought to justice," the Minister promised.
US President Bill Clinton condemned the "butchery" of the Omagh bombing and said he did not intend to let it interfere with his visit to Northern Ireland next month.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair broke off his holiday in France to fly to the North to meet political leaders and pledged the killers would not be allowed to wreck the Northern Ireland peace process: "We will not let these people wreck the future. The future belongs to the decent people of Northern Ireland. It doesn't belong to the criminals and psychopaths," he told reporters. "They are a small group of people, a tiny fanatical group of people. They have no political base, they have no votes, they have no support in Northern Ireland. They have just this capacity for evil."
Yesterday, the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister met at Stormont House after which both men said the Irish and British governments would work closely to "crush" the individuals responsible for the Omagh atrocity.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams was jostled and jeered yesterday by people waiting at the emergency centre in Omagh for news of missing friends and relatives. Mr Adams condemned the bombing "without any equivocation whatsoever."
Last night, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement issued the following statement: "We are deeply saddened and devastated by the terrible tragedy in Omagh. We share the grief and sorrow of everyone on the island of Ireland and we offer our sincere sympathy to the injured, the bereaved, their families and friends at this time. The killing of innocent people cannot be justified . . . We reject categorically any suggestion that has been publicly made that our movement was responsible in any way." However, the first rumblings from those connected to RIRA's political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, hinted that the phone warning of the bomb had been accurate and explicit about the stolen car's location.
But police were in no doubt they had deliberately provided the wrong information in order to maximise casualties. Forensic experts were still examining the remains of the devastated car. Its number plates were vaporised in the explosion but police have suggested the vehicle was hijacked in the Republic some days ago.
Two Spaniards became the first tourists to be killed in Northern Ireland's troubles. A woman teacher and pupil, who were visiting Omagh as part of an exchange group from. Madrid staying in Buncranna, County Donegal, were caught in the terrorist maelstrom.
Three months ago, an overwhelming majority of the 20,000 people of Omagh voted in favour of the Good Friday peace agreement.
Courtesy of Irish Examiner
Further Information
Publisher: THE EXAMINER
Ref: TEX/001
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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