FLANAGAN SPURNS INQUIRY CALL
Flanagan spurns inquiry call
Police chief Ronnie Flanagan used a press conference in Dublin yesterday to again reject out of hand calls for a new senior officer to head the Omagh probe.
The appointment of a new officer to head the bombing investigation would "significantly reduce" the chances of catching the terrorists, the North's Chief Constable said.
Despite an open letter by relatives of the dead to Sir Ronnie calling for a new senior investigator, he has ruled out such a move. At the Dublin news conference, he said: "I am certainly not going to remove the current senior investigating officer."
Sir Ronnie was heavily criticised by the Northern Ireland police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan last year for his handling of the investigation. He said he understood the concerns of the relatives, but the appointment of a new officer to investigate the 1998 Real IRA bombing, which killed 29 people, would harm the chances of bringing the killers to justice.
Currently, the inquiry is being headed by Supt Brian McArthur and is being overseen by Merseyside detective Chief Supt Philip Jones. Mr McArthur retains operational command in the set-up recommended by the new Policing Board.
Sir Ronnie said: "Everyone is well aware of the arrangements that the police board has decided on and I think they are effective working arrangements.
"I am certainly not going to remove the current senior investigating officer. I will be replying to the relatives whose anguish I understand fully. They should have every confidence in the current senior investigating officer."
Attending the news conference with Republic of Ireland Commissioner Pat Byrne, Sir Ronnie added: "The reason I would not contemplate changing that officer is that is would very significantly reduce the chances of success and none of us can take that risk."
The relatives wrote to Sir Ronnie has and sent copies of the letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern.
The letter said: "For three and a half years we have waited on results of the Omagh bombing investigation.
"We know the current investigation to be flawed and have lost all confidence.
"We, as bereaved families, now want and feel an independent senior investigation officer is our only chance in gaining criminal prosecutions."
During the press conference at the headquarters of Ireland's police force in Dublin's Phoenix Park, Commissioner Byrne said officers south of the border were engaged in a "very live investigation". Last month his officers secured the first conviction in connection with the bombing when builder Colm Murphy was jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
The Commissioner said: "The people in charge of the investigation are monitoring developments day by day. I cannot, for obvious reasons, indicate what is happening, but we are working very closely with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland."He added: "The whole difficulty in this investigation, and I think the chief constable would agree with me, is the gathering of evidence."
Police chief Ronnie Flanagan used a press conference in Dublin yesterday to again reject out of hand calls for a new senior officer to head the Omagh probe.
The appointment of a new officer to head the bombing investigation would "significantly reduce" the chances of catching the terrorists, the North's Chief Constable said.
Despite an open letter by relatives of the dead to Sir Ronnie calling for a new senior investigator, he has ruled out such a move. At the Dublin news conference, he said: "I am certainly not going to remove the current senior investigating officer."
Sir Ronnie was heavily criticised by the Northern Ireland police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan last year for his handling of the investigation. He said he understood the concerns of the relatives, but the appointment of a new officer to investigate the 1998 Real IRA bombing, which killed 29 people, would harm the chances of bringing the killers to justice.
Currently, the inquiry is being headed by Supt Brian McArthur and is being overseen by Merseyside detective Chief Supt Philip Jones. Mr McArthur retains operational command in the set-up recommended by the new Policing Board.
Sir Ronnie said: "Everyone is well aware of the arrangements that the police board has decided on and I think they are effective working arrangements.
"I am certainly not going to remove the current senior investigating officer. I will be replying to the relatives whose anguish I understand fully. They should have every confidence in the current senior investigating officer."
Attending the news conference with Republic of Ireland Commissioner Pat Byrne, Sir Ronnie added: "The reason I would not contemplate changing that officer is that is would very significantly reduce the chances of success and none of us can take that risk."
The relatives wrote to Sir Ronnie has and sent copies of the letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern.
The letter said: "For three and a half years we have waited on results of the Omagh bombing investigation.
"We know the current investigation to be flawed and have lost all confidence.
"We, as bereaved families, now want and feel an independent senior investigation officer is our only chance in gaining criminal prosecutions."
During the press conference at the headquarters of Ireland's police force in Dublin's Phoenix Park, Commissioner Byrne said officers south of the border were engaged in a "very live investigation". Last month his officers secured the first conviction in connection with the bombing when builder Colm Murphy was jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
The Commissioner said: "The people in charge of the investigation are monitoring developments day by day. I cannot, for obvious reasons, indicate what is happening, but we are working very closely with our colleagues in the Police Service of Northern Ireland."He added: "The whole difficulty in this investigation, and I think the chief constable would agree with me, is the gathering of evidence."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0978
Published Date: 21-Feb-02
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