NON-COOPERATION IN OMAGH INQUIRY RAISES MORE SUSPICIONS
Non-cooperation in Omagh inquiry raises more suspicions
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
FURTHER suspicion has been created by the revelation that some police and Special Branch personnel refused to co-operate with an investigation into the passing on of information by GCHQ to police prior to the Omagh bombing. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) intercepted messages from those planning to bomb Omagh but there had been allegations that it was not passed on. Journalist John Ware, of the BBC's Panorama team, claimed that GCHQ had been listening to messages between those thought to have been behind the atrocity. Sir Peter Gibson was brought in to investigate and reported that all was above board. A select committee of MPs is considering Mr Gibson's report, and heard that one of the officers investigating the bombing itself refused to co-operate with the inquiry as did a member of Special Branch, the clandestine organisation within the RUC. The report found that GCHQ had passed on intercepts to the RUC 'promptly and fully in accordance with proper procedures'.
The report also suggested that the technology required for the kind of tracking alluded to in the Panorama report did not exist at the time of the blast. However, a veil of secrecy still surrounds the matter with only 15 pages of the 60 page document ever having been published.
Also, Chairman of the Northern Ireland affairs committee, Sir Patrick McCormack, has been prevented from viewing the document, something which has called into question the government's policy on disclosure. Chairman of the Omagh Support and Self help Group, Michael Gallagher, wondered why officers who had spent their lives in law enforcement would not want to shed light on the matter.
BY ADRIAN MULLAN
FURTHER suspicion has been created by the revelation that some police and Special Branch personnel refused to co-operate with an investigation into the passing on of information by GCHQ to police prior to the Omagh bombing. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) intercepted messages from those planning to bomb Omagh but there had been allegations that it was not passed on. Journalist John Ware, of the BBC's Panorama team, claimed that GCHQ had been listening to messages between those thought to have been behind the atrocity. Sir Peter Gibson was brought in to investigate and reported that all was above board. A select committee of MPs is considering Mr Gibson's report, and heard that one of the officers investigating the bombing itself refused to co-operate with the inquiry as did a member of Special Branch, the clandestine organisation within the RUC. The report found that GCHQ had passed on intercepts to the RUC 'promptly and fully in accordance with proper procedures'.
The report also suggested that the technology required for the kind of tracking alluded to in the Panorama report did not exist at the time of the blast. However, a veil of secrecy still surrounds the matter with only 15 pages of the 60 page document ever having been published.
Also, Chairman of the Northern Ireland affairs committee, Sir Patrick McCormack, has been prevented from viewing the document, something which has called into question the government's policy on disclosure. Chairman of the Omagh Support and Self help Group, Michael Gallagher, wondered why officers who had spent their lives in law enforcement would not want to shed light on the matter.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/085
Published Date: 18-May-09
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