OMAGH FAMILIES MEET NEW POLICE OMBUDSMAN
Omagh families meet new Police Ombudsman
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
AL Hutchinson, the new Police Ombudsman, expressed empathy for the Omagh bomb victims when he visited some of the families of those killed in the atrocity on Thursday past.
Though on the record as having stated his desire to switch the emphasis of the offices' investigations to contemporary cases like the Omagh bombing, Mr Hutchison admitted that his office is almost swamped by historical matters.
He also said there was no legacy of his predecessor Nuala O'Loan's investigation into the police handling of the original inquiry that he had to deal with.
"The first investigation by the Ombudsman's office led to a police re-investigation and it's public knowledge that that was not successful. Following from that trial we have an allegation, that my office is investigating, that follows comments by Justice Weir concerning the testimony of two officers and that's currently a live investigation." Mr Hutchison, who formerly served with the Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, said his visit to the Omagh Support and Self Help group was a response to an invitation extended to him by Michael Gallagher. "Personally, I've been looking forward to meeting the group. I've been on an out-reach process across the country talking to all groups, particularly victims, and I certainly have a great empathy with victims. Our office is well placed to help find some solutions to some of those issues."
So is he still more concerned with the contemporary than the historical?
"In my previous role as the policing oversight commissioner I made the point in my final report of June 2007 that there really was a choice for the country of policing the past or policing the future, and that it was up to society to find a resolution," said Mr Hutchison.
He added, "However, the police historic enquiries team was really a blunt instrument, too narrowly focused to solve society's issues, because it involves paramilitary groups and involves all of the state actors, not just the police. Since then the Eames/Bradley group was set up to try and find a resolution to those issues of the past. Like everyone else I'm hoping they have the Wisdom of Solomon to come up with a way forward.
"It's certainly the role of my office to investigate those allegations of police collusion or wrong-doing in the past and I will continue to do that until somebody tells me otherwise. But I still believe it's only a small part of the large solution.
"I've talked to a number of the families of victims in Northern Ireland and it remains a tragedy, and an unresolved tragedy.
Does it surprise him that, ten years after a blast which killed 31 people, no one has been brought to justice?
"Somebody was charged and acquitted - the justice process was at work, but justice systems are not without their failures as well as their successes and it's something you live with. It should never stop you trying to bring someone to justice."
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
AL Hutchinson, the new Police Ombudsman, expressed empathy for the Omagh bomb victims when he visited some of the families of those killed in the atrocity on Thursday past.
Though on the record as having stated his desire to switch the emphasis of the offices' investigations to contemporary cases like the Omagh bombing, Mr Hutchison admitted that his office is almost swamped by historical matters.
He also said there was no legacy of his predecessor Nuala O'Loan's investigation into the police handling of the original inquiry that he had to deal with.
"The first investigation by the Ombudsman's office led to a police re-investigation and it's public knowledge that that was not successful. Following from that trial we have an allegation, that my office is investigating, that follows comments by Justice Weir concerning the testimony of two officers and that's currently a live investigation." Mr Hutchison, who formerly served with the Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, said his visit to the Omagh Support and Self Help group was a response to an invitation extended to him by Michael Gallagher. "Personally, I've been looking forward to meeting the group. I've been on an out-reach process across the country talking to all groups, particularly victims, and I certainly have a great empathy with victims. Our office is well placed to help find some solutions to some of those issues."
So is he still more concerned with the contemporary than the historical?
"In my previous role as the policing oversight commissioner I made the point in my final report of June 2007 that there really was a choice for the country of policing the past or policing the future, and that it was up to society to find a resolution," said Mr Hutchison.
He added, "However, the police historic enquiries team was really a blunt instrument, too narrowly focused to solve society's issues, because it involves paramilitary groups and involves all of the state actors, not just the police. Since then the Eames/Bradley group was set up to try and find a resolution to those issues of the past. Like everyone else I'm hoping they have the Wisdom of Solomon to come up with a way forward.
"It's certainly the role of my office to investigate those allegations of police collusion or wrong-doing in the past and I will continue to do that until somebody tells me otherwise. But I still believe it's only a small part of the large solution.
"I've talked to a number of the families of victims in Northern Ireland and it remains a tragedy, and an unresolved tragedy.
Does it surprise him that, ten years after a blast which killed 31 people, no one has been brought to justice?
"Somebody was charged and acquitted - the justice process was at work, but justice systems are not without their failures as well as their successes and it's something you live with. It should never stop you trying to bring someone to justice."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/072
Published Date: 07-Apr-08
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