GARDA FAILED TO HELP US
G ARDA FAILED TO HELP US
By DERIC HENDERSON
A ROW erupted last night after RUC sources accused Garda of failing to co-operation during the Omagh investigation.
Two senior officers were said to be unhappy with help they received from the South.
It emerged that though police in the Republic questioned an estimated 70 suspects in connection with the atrocity, less than three per cent of documentation on the Omagh data base related to Garda inquiries. But senior officers involved in the probe dismissed the criticism, saying they had an excellent working relationship with the Garda and the force's commissioner Pat Byrne.
Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan said: "There are always going to be difficulties when an investigation covers two jurisdictions. No matter how close the relationship is no matter how close the liaison is, it is never going to be quite the same as having one discreet, integrated team operating in one jurisdiction. That is a fact of life.
"But the liaison could not be closer and the co-operation could not be closer."
Police resources investigating the Omagh atrocity have been scaled down dramatically, and with nobody yet charged with any of the murders there has been criticism by the families that not enough was being done.
All the members of the Real IRA who were involved have been identified but police claim they have insufficient evidence to bring any of them to trial.
The report by Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan is also believed to show that detectives working on the investigation were cut by 40 per cent just months after the atrocity.
By DERIC HENDERSON
A ROW erupted last night after RUC sources accused Garda of failing to co-operation during the Omagh investigation.
Two senior officers were said to be unhappy with help they received from the South.
It emerged that though police in the Republic questioned an estimated 70 suspects in connection with the atrocity, less than three per cent of documentation on the Omagh data base related to Garda inquiries. But senior officers involved in the probe dismissed the criticism, saying they had an excellent working relationship with the Garda and the force's commissioner Pat Byrne.
Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan said: "There are always going to be difficulties when an investigation covers two jurisdictions. No matter how close the relationship is no matter how close the liaison is, it is never going to be quite the same as having one discreet, integrated team operating in one jurisdiction. That is a fact of life.
"But the liaison could not be closer and the co-operation could not be closer."
Police resources investigating the Omagh atrocity have been scaled down dramatically, and with nobody yet charged with any of the murders there has been criticism by the families that not enough was being done.
All the members of the Real IRA who were involved have been identified but police claim they have insufficient evidence to bring any of them to trial.
The report by Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan is also believed to show that detectives working on the investigation were cut by 40 per cent just months after the atrocity.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/141
Published Date: 08-Dec-01
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