REAL IRA ADMIT PLANTING BOMB THAT KILLED 28
REAL IRA ADMIT PLANTING BOMB THAT KILLED 28
By Neil Leslie and Steve White
We offer apologies. It was not our intention to kill any civilians
THE republican splinter group the Real IRA last night claimed responsibility for Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity in 30 years.
The fanatical IRA renegades admitted planting the car bomb that killed 28 people and injured another 220 in Omagh on Saturday.
In a call to a Dublin newsroom, an RIRA member using- a known codeword even offered a sick apology to the victims of the outrage.
The spokesman said the bombers' target had been "commercial" and part of an "ongoing war against the Brits" - but said nothing about calling off the campaign of terror.
Target
"It was a commercial target. Despite media reports it was not our intention at any time to kill any civilians.
"We offer apologies to the civilians," the statement said.
The revelation sparked a wave of fury as families of the victims began burying their dead loved ones yesterday, and prompted Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to give the Real IRA 24 hours to call a ceasefire or face the full wrath of the law.
In a bid to explain why victims were shepherded to the exact point of the blast, the terrorist gang blamed those who received the warning calls for getting the location wrong.
It claimed that the location of the bomb had been made clear in three warning calls - two to UTV in Belfast and one to the Samaritans in Coleraine.
"There were three warnings and there were 40 minutes warning on each of them - two to UTV and one to the Samaritans in Coleraine.
"Each time this was made clear and people talked back," the spokesman said.
"The location was 300 to 400 yards from the courthouse on the main street.
"At no time was it said it was near the courthouse."
But UTV bosses dismissed the claims last night and repeated that each of the warnings specifically said the device was at the courthouse.
Two calls were received by the station within minutes of each other, warning that a 5001b bomb had been left at the courthouse on Omagh "Main Street".
Warnings
The RIRA "apology" said the UTV warnings were phoned in 40 minutes before the explosion, but the station reported that the first call said the bomb would go off in 30 minutes, the second in 15 minutes.
Reaction to the admission was swift and scathing. Northern Ireland's Secretary of State Mo Mowlam condemned it as a "pathetic attempt to apologise for and excuse mass murder".
Dr Mowlam said they were murderers pure and simple" and people would have "absolute contempt" for their apology.
The Taoiseach Mr Ahern gave the terrorists 24 hours to call off their campaign and warned:
"If they don't, we will intensify every single effort that I can physically do. legislatively and with the security forces to break these organisations."
An RUC spokesman said the Real IRA claim should be treated with the contempt it deserved.
He said: "The message we received was that the bomb had been placed near the courthouse.
"The warnings were variable - one was for 40 minutes and there was one for 15 minutes.
"This is a pathetic attempt to justify or shift the blame for the murders of 28 men. women and children, and should be treated with the contempt it deserves."
Police insiders are also concerned that the coded message suggests that the "ongoing war" will continue despite the atrocity.
Grieving
The grieving population of Omagh reacted with stunned disbelief to the Real IRA's shocking admission of responsibility last night.
Geoffrey Donaldson of the Official Unionist Party said: "People will shudder when they hear these comments, when someone puts explosives in a car and drives it into a busy town on a Saturday during a carnival they must expect the possibility that lives will be lost.
"There isn't a hint of remorse. One day these people will have to answer for what they have done and this pathetic excuse will not be a sufficient answer."
Peter Maguire, 40, from Omagh said: "This has made me feel physically sick. It proved that these people are psychopaths."
And Brida McCausland 28, who saw two work pals injured in the explosion added: "To see the suffering in Omagh's hospital where people have lost limbs or been blinded is horror enough, this is twisting the knife."
Rozella Kelly, a Focus committee member, added: "An apology is not much good to those who are dead or those who have had their limbs severed.
"It is just coming from the lips and not from the heart."
By Neil Leslie and Steve White
We offer apologies. It was not our intention to kill any civilians
THE republican splinter group the Real IRA last night claimed responsibility for Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity in 30 years.
The fanatical IRA renegades admitted planting the car bomb that killed 28 people and injured another 220 in Omagh on Saturday.
In a call to a Dublin newsroom, an RIRA member using- a known codeword even offered a sick apology to the victims of the outrage.
The spokesman said the bombers' target had been "commercial" and part of an "ongoing war against the Brits" - but said nothing about calling off the campaign of terror.
Target
"It was a commercial target. Despite media reports it was not our intention at any time to kill any civilians.
"We offer apologies to the civilians," the statement said.
The revelation sparked a wave of fury as families of the victims began burying their dead loved ones yesterday, and prompted Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to give the Real IRA 24 hours to call a ceasefire or face the full wrath of the law.
In a bid to explain why victims were shepherded to the exact point of the blast, the terrorist gang blamed those who received the warning calls for getting the location wrong.
It claimed that the location of the bomb had been made clear in three warning calls - two to UTV in Belfast and one to the Samaritans in Coleraine.
"There were three warnings and there were 40 minutes warning on each of them - two to UTV and one to the Samaritans in Coleraine.
"Each time this was made clear and people talked back," the spokesman said.
"The location was 300 to 400 yards from the courthouse on the main street.
"At no time was it said it was near the courthouse."
But UTV bosses dismissed the claims last night and repeated that each of the warnings specifically said the device was at the courthouse.
Two calls were received by the station within minutes of each other, warning that a 5001b bomb had been left at the courthouse on Omagh "Main Street".
Warnings
The RIRA "apology" said the UTV warnings were phoned in 40 minutes before the explosion, but the station reported that the first call said the bomb would go off in 30 minutes, the second in 15 minutes.
Reaction to the admission was swift and scathing. Northern Ireland's Secretary of State Mo Mowlam condemned it as a "pathetic attempt to apologise for and excuse mass murder".
Dr Mowlam said they were murderers pure and simple" and people would have "absolute contempt" for their apology.
The Taoiseach Mr Ahern gave the terrorists 24 hours to call off their campaign and warned:
"If they don't, we will intensify every single effort that I can physically do. legislatively and with the security forces to break these organisations."
An RUC spokesman said the Real IRA claim should be treated with the contempt it deserved.
He said: "The message we received was that the bomb had been placed near the courthouse.
"The warnings were variable - one was for 40 minutes and there was one for 15 minutes.
"This is a pathetic attempt to justify or shift the blame for the murders of 28 men. women and children, and should be treated with the contempt it deserves."
Police insiders are also concerned that the coded message suggests that the "ongoing war" will continue despite the atrocity.
Grieving
The grieving population of Omagh reacted with stunned disbelief to the Real IRA's shocking admission of responsibility last night.
Geoffrey Donaldson of the Official Unionist Party said: "People will shudder when they hear these comments, when someone puts explosives in a car and drives it into a busy town on a Saturday during a carnival they must expect the possibility that lives will be lost.
"There isn't a hint of remorse. One day these people will have to answer for what they have done and this pathetic excuse will not be a sufficient answer."
Peter Maguire, 40, from Omagh said: "This has made me feel physically sick. It proved that these people are psychopaths."
And Brida McCausland 28, who saw two work pals injured in the explosion added: "To see the suffering in Omagh's hospital where people have lost limbs or been blinded is horror enough, this is twisting the knife."
Rozella Kelly, a Focus committee member, added: "An apology is not much good to those who are dead or those who have had their limbs severed.
"It is just coming from the lips and not from the heart."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/043
Published Date: 19-Sep-98
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