OMAGH SPY ON RUN AS TV BLOWS COVER
OMAGH SPY ON RUN AS TV BLOWS COVER
by MAURICE FITZMAURICE
Viewers hear his real voice
A FORMER army agent at the centre of the Omagh bomb controversy has fled Northern Ireland after his cover was blown in a UTV programme.
Kevin Fulton left the country yesterday after the station's Insight programme broadcast an interview with him when his voice was not disguised.
Last night a close pal of Fulton confirmed he was on the run.
The friend said: "Kevin is furious. He has had to ditch an assumed identity, a new home, and most of all they have put his life in real danger.
"People where he was living in Northern Ireland will have recognised his voice since it's quite distinctive.
"But as well as that, the terrorists he used to know will also have put two and two together.
"If they had any suspicions of what he was before then they'll have no doubt now."
Fulton - which is not his real name - recorded the interview with UTV in December immediately after news emerged that a Police Ombudsman report would criticise the RUC's handling of the Omagh bomb investigation.
The interview was broadcast with Fulton's face in silhouette and his voice disguised.
Fulton was asked to do the interview as he is named as one of two informers who warned of an attack days before the Omagh bomb killed 29 people and two unborn twins.
The former spy claims that he told his police handler a bomb was being transported across the border 48 hours before the blast. Michael Gallagher, whose son Adrian was killed in the 1998 attack, praised Fulton for revealing what he knew about the bombing.
He said last night: "We wouldn't know what we do now about the bomb if it hadn't been for Kevin Fulton.
"We would be like the people who suffered in the Dublin Monaghan bombings, still waiting for any new information on what happened.
"It seems like Kevin is now suffering for coming forward and that is a shame."
Willie Carlin, also a former army spy and spokesman for ex-members of the controversial Force Research Unit, told The Mirror Fulton's life was in grave danger following the programme which was broadcast on Thursday.
He said: "I've been speaking to Kevin and he's devastated. He's had to up sticks and leave his home in a few hours.
"There are some very nasty people in South Armagh who if they had an inkling who Kevin was they certainly know now.
"He has had his death warrant signed."
A spokesman for UTV said that the company "never comments on arrangements made with any contributor".
by MAURICE FITZMAURICE
Viewers hear his real voice
A FORMER army agent at the centre of the Omagh bomb controversy has fled Northern Ireland after his cover was blown in a UTV programme.
Kevin Fulton left the country yesterday after the station's Insight programme broadcast an interview with him when his voice was not disguised.
Last night a close pal of Fulton confirmed he was on the run.
The friend said: "Kevin is furious. He has had to ditch an assumed identity, a new home, and most of all they have put his life in real danger.
"People where he was living in Northern Ireland will have recognised his voice since it's quite distinctive.
"But as well as that, the terrorists he used to know will also have put two and two together.
"If they had any suspicions of what he was before then they'll have no doubt now."
Fulton - which is not his real name - recorded the interview with UTV in December immediately after news emerged that a Police Ombudsman report would criticise the RUC's handling of the Omagh bomb investigation.
The interview was broadcast with Fulton's face in silhouette and his voice disguised.
Fulton was asked to do the interview as he is named as one of two informers who warned of an attack days before the Omagh bomb killed 29 people and two unborn twins.
The former spy claims that he told his police handler a bomb was being transported across the border 48 hours before the blast. Michael Gallagher, whose son Adrian was killed in the 1998 attack, praised Fulton for revealing what he knew about the bombing.
He said last night: "We wouldn't know what we do now about the bomb if it hadn't been for Kevin Fulton.
"We would be like the people who suffered in the Dublin Monaghan bombings, still waiting for any new information on what happened.
"It seems like Kevin is now suffering for coming forward and that is a shame."
Willie Carlin, also a former army spy and spokesman for ex-members of the controversial Force Research Unit, told The Mirror Fulton's life was in grave danger following the programme which was broadcast on Thursday.
He said: "I've been speaking to Kevin and he's devastated. He's had to up sticks and leave his home in a few hours.
"There are some very nasty people in South Armagh who if they had an inkling who Kevin was they certainly know now.
"He has had his death warrant signed."
A spokesman for UTV said that the company "never comments on arrangements made with any contributor".
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/145
Published Date: 19-Jan-02
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