OMAGH PROBE SEEKS SINN FEIN HELP
OMAGH PROBE SEEKS SINN FEIN HELP
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
THE police chief superintendent investigating the Omagh bombing in 1998 has indicated that he will contact for Sinn Fein for help with the enquiry.
The move comes close on the heels of a special Shin Fein Ard Fheis which approved an Ard Comhairle motion allowing for the conditional support of the police here. Norman Baxter, who has been leading the investigation for four years, wants Sinn Fein to declare publicly that anyone with information about the bombing should contact the inquiry team.
Only one person, Sean Hoey, has been brought to trial for his alleged role in the massacre.
His trial ended weeks ago and a verdict is awaited.
A PSNI spokesman commented. "In light of the new attitude towards policing in a substantial part of the republican community, the senior investigating officer in the Omagh investigation is examining the possibility of requesting the assistance of public representatives in the South Armagh and Dundalk area to encourage people with information to come forward."
Derek Hussey, the UUP's MLA in West Tyrone, also encouraged the PSNI to contact Sinn Fein in West Tyrone to ensure that all available information is made available to the police.
He said, "There has been a clear move on policing from Sinn Fein, so let us see if their actions follow their words and let us hope that they will now call on their supporters that have any knowledge of this attack to come forward."
However, Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA, Barry McElduff, said that the party has received no such request from the PSNI and added that he found "it odd" that Norman Baxter should be discussing the matter through the media.
"Sinn Fein's long-standing position is that we condemned the bomb, which created a huge amount of victims and visited huge suffering on Omagh. Our view is the political objectives should be pursued by political means," said Mr McElduff.
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
THE police chief superintendent investigating the Omagh bombing in 1998 has indicated that he will contact for Sinn Fein for help with the enquiry.
The move comes close on the heels of a special Shin Fein Ard Fheis which approved an Ard Comhairle motion allowing for the conditional support of the police here. Norman Baxter, who has been leading the investigation for four years, wants Sinn Fein to declare publicly that anyone with information about the bombing should contact the inquiry team.
Only one person, Sean Hoey, has been brought to trial for his alleged role in the massacre.
His trial ended weeks ago and a verdict is awaited.
A PSNI spokesman commented. "In light of the new attitude towards policing in a substantial part of the republican community, the senior investigating officer in the Omagh investigation is examining the possibility of requesting the assistance of public representatives in the South Armagh and Dundalk area to encourage people with information to come forward."
Derek Hussey, the UUP's MLA in West Tyrone, also encouraged the PSNI to contact Sinn Fein in West Tyrone to ensure that all available information is made available to the police.
He said, "There has been a clear move on policing from Sinn Fein, so let us see if their actions follow their words and let us hope that they will now call on their supporters that have any knowledge of this attack to come forward."
However, Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA, Barry McElduff, said that the party has received no such request from the PSNI and added that he found "it odd" that Norman Baxter should be discussing the matter through the media.
"Sinn Fein's long-standing position is that we condemned the bomb, which created a huge amount of victims and visited huge suffering on Omagh. Our view is the political objectives should be pursued by political means," said Mr McElduff.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/051
Published Date: 12-Feb-07
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.