BRITISH HOME SECRETARY TO MEET OMAGH FAMILIES
British Home Secretary to meet Omagh families
THE FAMILIES of those killed and maimed in the Omagh bombing will be putting some tough questions to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, when they meet with him later this month. Although a date for the meeting has not been finalised Mr Blunkett has expressed the view that the meeting should take place in January.
Michael Gallagher, father of Adrian Gallagher, one of the 31 people murdered in the Omagh bomb, welcomed the meeting and said that a letter from the Home Secretary was conciliatory.
Mr Gallagher who is the Chairman of the Omagh Self-Help and Support group, set up to represent many of the people who lost loved ones or suffered injury, sent two letters to the Home Secretary at the end of November, one type written the other in braille requesting the meeting.
Victor Barker, the father of 12 year old James who was also slain in the attack had also written to the Home Secretary requesting such a meeting with a view to preventing the Real IRA or the 32 County Sovereignty Committee from fund-raising.
Mr Gallagher said his personal position was identical to that of the USA.
"The American government banned the Real IRA, banned the 32 County Sovereignty Committee and they included the wording 'any other aliases', whatever front these people use they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. The democratic system should not be so weak that they can get around it by using words."
Mr Gallagher went on to say that that was the sort of issue he would be raising with Mr Blunkett.
In his letter to the relatives of the deceased in Omagh, Mr Blunkett apologised for delays in setting up a meeting but expressed a keenness to have just such a meeting.
He said that he had instructed his Diary Secretary to arrange the meeting at the earliest opportunity in the New Year.
Mr Blunkett said that the delay in responding to Mr Gallagher's letter was due to the operation of the Department during the latter stages of the of the Anti-terrorist, Crime and Security Bill and the follow-through in terms of action under that legislation.
Mr Gallagher said that an opportunity has been created and that it is up to the Omagh families to take advantage of that.
On the issue of the Ombudsman's report he intimated that the Policing Board had indicated, through an intermediary, that it would be prepared to meet with the relatives. However, he envisaged that such a meeting would not take place until after the families had met with the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan although a date has not been set for that meeting either.
Mr Gallagher said he hoped this month would finally be the beginning of the end; 'We're into our fourth year now ...it's about time that the government started to listen to the victims' families.
"The famines of Omagh, over the last three and a half years, have not been treated very well. I just hope that this year will be a turning point. Up to this point we have accepted people at face value but to our cost we have learned differently. Now, we're going to be demanding answers to questions that other people won't even ask ...I think there is a new dawn. I think people realise that we can't go on. If it is proven that there's an inefficient system, that almost 75 per cent of the serious crime committed in this country the criminals are getting away with it, both communities will want an efficient policing system."
He said that the members of the Self Help group had never allowed politics of any shade to come between the group and its quest for justice and added, I don't think any other part of Britain or Ireland would stand for what we've put up with for the past thirty years."
Concluding, Mr Gallagher said that the meeting with the Home Secretary will be the first for the victims with a senior government Minister outside of Northern Ireland, "We did meet the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister, and the President of the US, but we were shell-shocked at that time. We weren't in the position to make any rational judgments on where we stood at that time. But this is the first time we have been granted a meeting with a senior member of the government. David Blunkett is the person who makes law, as Home Secretary, so this meeting is very important. I'm glad the government are seeking the views of victims and are willing to take them on board."
THE FAMILIES of those killed and maimed in the Omagh bombing will be putting some tough questions to the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, when they meet with him later this month. Although a date for the meeting has not been finalised Mr Blunkett has expressed the view that the meeting should take place in January.
Michael Gallagher, father of Adrian Gallagher, one of the 31 people murdered in the Omagh bomb, welcomed the meeting and said that a letter from the Home Secretary was conciliatory.
Mr Gallagher who is the Chairman of the Omagh Self-Help and Support group, set up to represent many of the people who lost loved ones or suffered injury, sent two letters to the Home Secretary at the end of November, one type written the other in braille requesting the meeting.
Victor Barker, the father of 12 year old James who was also slain in the attack had also written to the Home Secretary requesting such a meeting with a view to preventing the Real IRA or the 32 County Sovereignty Committee from fund-raising.
Mr Gallagher said his personal position was identical to that of the USA.
"The American government banned the Real IRA, banned the 32 County Sovereignty Committee and they included the wording 'any other aliases', whatever front these people use they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. The democratic system should not be so weak that they can get around it by using words."
Mr Gallagher went on to say that that was the sort of issue he would be raising with Mr Blunkett.
In his letter to the relatives of the deceased in Omagh, Mr Blunkett apologised for delays in setting up a meeting but expressed a keenness to have just such a meeting.
He said that he had instructed his Diary Secretary to arrange the meeting at the earliest opportunity in the New Year.
Mr Blunkett said that the delay in responding to Mr Gallagher's letter was due to the operation of the Department during the latter stages of the of the Anti-terrorist, Crime and Security Bill and the follow-through in terms of action under that legislation.
Mr Gallagher said that an opportunity has been created and that it is up to the Omagh families to take advantage of that.
On the issue of the Ombudsman's report he intimated that the Policing Board had indicated, through an intermediary, that it would be prepared to meet with the relatives. However, he envisaged that such a meeting would not take place until after the families had met with the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan although a date has not been set for that meeting either.
Mr Gallagher said he hoped this month would finally be the beginning of the end; 'We're into our fourth year now ...it's about time that the government started to listen to the victims' families.
"The famines of Omagh, over the last three and a half years, have not been treated very well. I just hope that this year will be a turning point. Up to this point we have accepted people at face value but to our cost we have learned differently. Now, we're going to be demanding answers to questions that other people won't even ask ...I think there is a new dawn. I think people realise that we can't go on. If it is proven that there's an inefficient system, that almost 75 per cent of the serious crime committed in this country the criminals are getting away with it, both communities will want an efficient policing system."
He said that the members of the Self Help group had never allowed politics of any shade to come between the group and its quest for justice and added, I don't think any other part of Britain or Ireland would stand for what we've put up with for the past thirty years."
Concluding, Mr Gallagher said that the meeting with the Home Secretary will be the first for the victims with a senior government Minister outside of Northern Ireland, "We did meet the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister, and the President of the US, but we were shell-shocked at that time. We weren't in the position to make any rational judgments on where we stood at that time. But this is the first time we have been granted a meeting with a senior member of the government. David Blunkett is the person who makes law, as Home Secretary, so this meeting is very important. I'm glad the government are seeking the views of victims and are willing to take them on board."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0902
Published Date: 03-Jan-02
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