NI COMMITEE SET TO PUBLISH ITS REPORT ON OMAGH BOMB TOMORROW
NI committee set to publish its report on Omagh bomb tomorrow
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
THE Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which has been looking into the Omagh bomb will publish its findings tomorrow (Tuesday).
The Committee has been looking at the access to intelligence and the implications. It interviewed several people, one of whom was Dame Nuala O'Loan, former police ombudsman.
Mrs O'Loan had said she questioned the report by Sir Peter Gibson, which said the Omagh bomb could not have been prevented and that evidence was withheld.
The former Police Ombudsman had said the findings of a government inquiry that examined intercept intelligence surrounding the Omagh bomb were "odd".
The inquiry concluded the 1998 Real IRA bombing could not have been prevented and that intelligence was not withheld.
Nuala O'Loan told the Committee it may "never be known" if the bombing could have been prevented.
She said she was "confused" by some of the reports findings.
The 1998 explosion killed 31 people, including unborn twins.
Mrs O'Loan confirmed to MPs that there were telephone numbers and names which Special Branch could have given to CED Officers investigating the bombing.
The inquiry into how intelligence was handled was chaired by Sir Peter Gibson, with a remit to investigate how intercept intelligence was shared in the Omagh bomb investigation. It was set up after a BBC Panorama Programme claimed security officials were listening to the Omagh bombers.
Speaking on Friday, Michael Gallagher said the families welcomed greatly the words of Mrs O'Loan.
He said that the report had effectively dismissed BBC's John Ware "as a well-intentioned journalist whose Panorama findings were not factually correct.
"But they cannot say the same about Nuala O'Loan who knows more about the Omagh bomb than most.
"The fact that she has told the government Select committee that she still had concerns is really great for the Omagh Families.
"It will go a long way in our fight to get justice," added Mr Gallagher.
As well as Dame Nuala, the committee heard from Jason McCue, a lawyer who represented some of the bereaved families. He said that the report should be examined in more depth.
"It strikes me that Gibson, first of all, is not a policeman so how he can derive what would have been of use to the investigators is beyond me," he said.
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
THE Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which has been looking into the Omagh bomb will publish its findings tomorrow (Tuesday).
The Committee has been looking at the access to intelligence and the implications. It interviewed several people, one of whom was Dame Nuala O'Loan, former police ombudsman.
Mrs O'Loan had said she questioned the report by Sir Peter Gibson, which said the Omagh bomb could not have been prevented and that evidence was withheld.
The former Police Ombudsman had said the findings of a government inquiry that examined intercept intelligence surrounding the Omagh bomb were "odd".
The inquiry concluded the 1998 Real IRA bombing could not have been prevented and that intelligence was not withheld.
Nuala O'Loan told the Committee it may "never be known" if the bombing could have been prevented.
She said she was "confused" by some of the reports findings.
The 1998 explosion killed 31 people, including unborn twins.
Mrs O'Loan confirmed to MPs that there were telephone numbers and names which Special Branch could have given to CED Officers investigating the bombing.
The inquiry into how intelligence was handled was chaired by Sir Peter Gibson, with a remit to investigate how intercept intelligence was shared in the Omagh bomb investigation. It was set up after a BBC Panorama Programme claimed security officials were listening to the Omagh bombers.
Speaking on Friday, Michael Gallagher said the families welcomed greatly the words of Mrs O'Loan.
He said that the report had effectively dismissed BBC's John Ware "as a well-intentioned journalist whose Panorama findings were not factually correct.
"But they cannot say the same about Nuala O'Loan who knows more about the Omagh bomb than most.
"The fact that she has told the government Select committee that she still had concerns is really great for the Omagh Families.
"It will go a long way in our fight to get justice," added Mr Gallagher.
As well as Dame Nuala, the committee heard from Jason McCue, a lawyer who represented some of the bereaved families. He said that the report should be examined in more depth.
"It strikes me that Gibson, first of all, is not a policeman so how he can derive what would have been of use to the investigators is beyond me," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/090
Published Date: 12-Jul-09
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