RELATIVES DEMAND SPECIAL SECURITY FOR GARDEN
Relatives demand special security for garden
BY JOHN McCUSKER
SECRETARY of State John Reid is to be asked to fund a CCTV camera as part of a series of protective measures to prevent farther attacks on Omagh's Garden of Remembrance.
The move follows a meeting between relatives of the victims and police chiefs in the wake of Friday's vandalism at the memorial to those who died in the 1998 atrocity in nearby Market Street.
Three people arrested and questioned over the incident on Saturday-have since been released on police bail. A fourth person was arrested in the town yesterday morning and quizzed by officers before also being bailed.
During the attack, cast-iron flowerpots were overturned and their contents strewn throughout the garden. Trees, daffodils and primulae were uprooted and some thrown into the adjacent County Hall grounds.
Ten wooden benches placed around the memorial garden were also overturned, and candles emptied from their red lantern holders.
The following morning police arrested two men and s juvenile at separate addressed in the town. The three were questioned by detectives investigating the attack before being released later in the day on police bail. A fourth suspect was detained by police yesterday morning before being released. Afterwards, a police spokesman said enquiries into the incident were continuing.
"A number of items have been forwarded for forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation," he added.
The site of the memorial garden is close to where 29 people and unborn twins died in the Real IRA car bombing on August 15 1998.
Following the attack, a team of council workmen spent a number of hours repairing the damage caused to the memorial garden.
In a follow-up meeting on Monday morning between police chiefs, relatives of those who died and members of the Churches Forum, a number of preventatives measures were drawn up in a bid to deter further attacks.
These include: improved lighting around the memorial plot, hedging to protect the rear of the garden, and an additional CCTV camera to be added to the system planned for the town centre to monitor the Drumragh Avenue site.
Following the one-hour emergency meeting, Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Victims' Support Group said he hoped the measures would thwart any further possible damage.
He said: "Families and the people of Omagh always regarded this as a sacred place and never imagined anyone would set out to damage it.
"Superintendent James Baxter has assured us that police would now be keeping a tighter eye on the area. However,
"I believe this is a community problem rather than a policing issue and I would appeal for the community's help in ensuring that it doesn't occur again."
Mr Gallagher said he was disappointed representatives from Omagh Council had not attended the meeting.
However, Chief Executive Danny McSorley said that although he appreciated the distress felt by the families, he was not in a position to meet with them due to heavy diary commitments.
"I still want to meet with the Group as part of the process of developing a greater understanding of local issues, and my office will be in contact in the near future to set up an appointment," Mr McSorley added.
BY JOHN McCUSKER
SECRETARY of State John Reid is to be asked to fund a CCTV camera as part of a series of protective measures to prevent farther attacks on Omagh's Garden of Remembrance.
The move follows a meeting between relatives of the victims and police chiefs in the wake of Friday's vandalism at the memorial to those who died in the 1998 atrocity in nearby Market Street.
Three people arrested and questioned over the incident on Saturday-have since been released on police bail. A fourth person was arrested in the town yesterday morning and quizzed by officers before also being bailed.
During the attack, cast-iron flowerpots were overturned and their contents strewn throughout the garden. Trees, daffodils and primulae were uprooted and some thrown into the adjacent County Hall grounds.
Ten wooden benches placed around the memorial garden were also overturned, and candles emptied from their red lantern holders.
The following morning police arrested two men and s juvenile at separate addressed in the town. The three were questioned by detectives investigating the attack before being released later in the day on police bail. A fourth suspect was detained by police yesterday morning before being released. Afterwards, a police spokesman said enquiries into the incident were continuing.
"A number of items have been forwarded for forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation," he added.
The site of the memorial garden is close to where 29 people and unborn twins died in the Real IRA car bombing on August 15 1998.
Following the attack, a team of council workmen spent a number of hours repairing the damage caused to the memorial garden.
In a follow-up meeting on Monday morning between police chiefs, relatives of those who died and members of the Churches Forum, a number of preventatives measures were drawn up in a bid to deter further attacks.
These include: improved lighting around the memorial plot, hedging to protect the rear of the garden, and an additional CCTV camera to be added to the system planned for the town centre to monitor the Drumragh Avenue site.
Following the one-hour emergency meeting, Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Victims' Support Group said he hoped the measures would thwart any further possible damage.
He said: "Families and the people of Omagh always regarded this as a sacred place and never imagined anyone would set out to damage it.
"Superintendent James Baxter has assured us that police would now be keeping a tighter eye on the area. However,
"I believe this is a community problem rather than a policing issue and I would appeal for the community's help in ensuring that it doesn't occur again."
Mr Gallagher said he was disappointed representatives from Omagh Council had not attended the meeting.
However, Chief Executive Danny McSorley said that although he appreciated the distress felt by the families, he was not in a position to meet with them due to heavy diary commitments.
"I still want to meet with the Group as part of the process of developing a greater understanding of local issues, and my office will be in contact in the near future to set up an appointment," Mr McSorley added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0762
Published Date: 03-May-01
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