SOME UNIONISTS FLAIL O'LOAN AT POLICING BOARD MEETING
Some Unionists flail O'Loan at Policing Board meeting
Mrs Nuala O'Loan repeated her call for outside investigator to head up the Omagh bomb probe during a difficult encounter with the Policing Board on Tuesday.
The Police Ombudsman left the meeting making no comment, but sources described her ordeal as "tough" in places.
Sir Ronnie Flanagan, meanwhile, reiterated his view that the current senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Brian McArthur, should remain in overall charge of the inquiry.
Mrs O'Loan came in for stinging criticism from the former Ulster Unionist MP John Taylor, a board member, who called on her to resign. Mr Taylor was subsequently quoted as saying that the Chief Constable "wiped the floor" with her in his submission.
The Ombudsman was also attacked at the meeting by hardline Democratic Unionist Sammy Wilson. He said: "She has adopted a stance which is fairly uncompromising and that is unfortunate.
"Some of us were a bit unhappy with her and that came through. People were demanding answers and at other times people were simply asking questions."
Mr Wilson's views were backed by another unionist source on the board to describe the police ombudsman's tone as "aggressive".
The source also confirmed that members had been issued with a copy of the internal police probe which formed a crucial part of Mrs O'Loan's document.
But he added that the board chairman had had to ask for it six times before police chiefs finally issued it.
Sinn Fein policing spokesman Gerry Kelly, meanwhile, said the board must not be seen as a referee between Sir Ronnie and Ms O'Loan: "This is patently not the case. The policing board is there to make both the Chief Constable and the policing system accountable and we have to see if it will do that job."
He reiterated that Sinn Fein would not sign up to policing until the British government beefs up the powers of the board.
Mrs Nuala O'Loan repeated her call for outside investigator to head up the Omagh bomb probe during a difficult encounter with the Policing Board on Tuesday.
The Police Ombudsman left the meeting making no comment, but sources described her ordeal as "tough" in places.
Sir Ronnie Flanagan, meanwhile, reiterated his view that the current senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Brian McArthur, should remain in overall charge of the inquiry.
Mrs O'Loan came in for stinging criticism from the former Ulster Unionist MP John Taylor, a board member, who called on her to resign. Mr Taylor was subsequently quoted as saying that the Chief Constable "wiped the floor" with her in his submission.
The Ombudsman was also attacked at the meeting by hardline Democratic Unionist Sammy Wilson. He said: "She has adopted a stance which is fairly uncompromising and that is unfortunate.
"Some of us were a bit unhappy with her and that came through. People were demanding answers and at other times people were simply asking questions."
Mr Wilson's views were backed by another unionist source on the board to describe the police ombudsman's tone as "aggressive".
The source also confirmed that members had been issued with a copy of the internal police probe which formed a crucial part of Mrs O'Loan's document.
But he added that the board chairman had had to ask for it six times before police chiefs finally issued it.
Sinn Fein policing spokesman Gerry Kelly, meanwhile, said the board must not be seen as a referee between Sir Ronnie and Ms O'Loan: "This is patently not the case. The policing board is there to make both the Chief Constable and the policing system accountable and we have to see if it will do that job."
He reiterated that Sinn Fein would not sign up to policing until the British government beefs up the powers of the board.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0954
Published Date: 07-Feb-02
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