RUC HAD FOUR TIP-OFFS ABOUT OMAGH, CLAIM
RUC had four tip-offs about Omagh, Claim
BY JOHN McCUSKER
ALLEGATIONS that the RUC received four tip-offs in the run-up to the Omagh bomb attack have shed new light on warnings alluded to in the Police Ombudsman's report.
Officers have already acknowledge that two threats were received prior to the Market Street attack a telephone call and information passed on by an informer.
But a two part Channel 4 documentary this week claimed that police Special Branch were aware of two more tip-offs one received just the day before the massive car bomb exploded killed 29 men, women and children and unborn twin girls.
The Ombudsman's office, however, has ruled out any fresh investigation into the police handling of the investigation. And PSNI sources believe the programme contained 'no new revelations' in relation to their enquiry.
The Channel 4 programme was based on a number of secret documents which contained disturbing revelations about the RUC and Gardai's handling of intelligence prior to the bombing.
Reporter Alex Thompson claimed that the Omagh detective who passed on the first warning to the RUC Special Branch 11 days before the Real IRA struck broke down and wept uncontrollably when he later claimed lack of action by colleagues.
An internal report stated: "The officer has an overwhelming feeling of guilt, and at the outset asked 'Why has it taken two years for anyone to come and talk to me about this?'"
Other areas of the police investigation questioned included the facts that:
-150 cashpoint users prior to the explosion were identified but not traced
-There is no record of DNA sampling from those arrested for the bombing then released
-118 vehicles remained untraced or unidentified
-And no action was taken to trace the parked white van, which may have been holding a parking place for the bombers' car.
The programme also claimed that three years into the investigation a key officer secretly admitted that the forensic handling was a shambles.
On January l6th last year a Detective Superintendant, Senior Investigating Officer of the Omagh bomb, wrote to the Forensic Sciences Service stating "I feel that fundamentally, the scientific investigation of the Omagh bomb incident lacked two elements, co-ordination and communication between interested parties and a sense of urgency".
Confusion also reigned over who was actually leading the investigation with some senior officers pointing the finger at each other, the documentary claimed.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan, 21, was among the victims, said the revelations brought 'terrible pressure on the families of Omagh'. He called for a public enquiry to be set up to investigate the police handling of the bombing.
"I think it is totally amazing the amount of information that was out there, and no action appears to have been taken. From start to finish there was almost a feeling that this crime wasn't meant to be solved. It is very upsetting that something this big should still be rolling. Four and a half years after the attack we are still no nearer getting nearer to the truth of what happened that day."
Mr Gallagher said repeated requests for meetings with Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern and new Chief Constable Hugh Orde had been turned down. "We believe these people are trying to distance themselves from Omagh," he added.
Channel 4 News alleged police in Omagh received two further warnings than had previously been known, but again failed to act effectively.
It was alleged they were told on August 11 that dissidents were planning an operation, and then three days later, on the eve of the atrocity, were warned the dissidents had incendiary devices for use against commercial targets. None of the warnings claimed Omagh was to be hit.
Even though police on both sides of the border carried out a massive investigation into the bombing, nobody has been charged in Northern Ireland.
A spokesman at the Ombudsman's office said Ms O'Loan was not considering re-opening her inquiry as her team had already been aware of the warnings contained in this week's Channel 4 documentary.
The spokesman continued: "Those warnings were already contained in the RUC's own review of the investigation and the Ombudsman was already aware of the information. Although the material in the Channel 4 programme may be new within the public domain it is not new to the Ombudsman, therefore there is nothing to warrant the reopening of the investigation."
Laurence Rush, whose wife Libby also died, told the Channel 4 programme: "They had four warnings about this bomb. There's only four arteries into Omagh, and no absolutely no police vehicles, liveried or otherwise, were at those arteries to stop that bomb coming in.
"We're saying that Special Branch here has been responsible for closing down the investigation. We're saying that they're a law unto themselves."
Relatives of those killed in the blast are to meet shortly with officers currently conducting the inquiry into the Omagh attack including Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter.
A police spokesman said the PSNI was not prepared to comment on the new claims, but added: "The investigation into the Omagh bomb is still very active and is being vigorously conducted under the senior investigating officer."
Joe Byrne, SDLP MLA for West Tyrone and a member of the Policing Board, said he had 'grave concerns' over allegations made in the programme.
"All aspects of the Omagh bomb investigation including prior warnings must be thoroughly examined so that the bombers can be brought to trial and convictions can be secured. The Policing Board did address the Omagh bomb investigation in early February 2002 after the publication of the Police Ombudsman's report.
"The outcome of these recommendations is to ensure that the Omagh bombers are brought to justice and the failures of Special Branch are addressed. Proper structures and procedures must be put in place so that intelligence between Special Branch and other parts of the Police Service is shared and utilised," he added.
BY JOHN McCUSKER
ALLEGATIONS that the RUC received four tip-offs in the run-up to the Omagh bomb attack have shed new light on warnings alluded to in the Police Ombudsman's report.
Officers have already acknowledge that two threats were received prior to the Market Street attack a telephone call and information passed on by an informer.
But a two part Channel 4 documentary this week claimed that police Special Branch were aware of two more tip-offs one received just the day before the massive car bomb exploded killed 29 men, women and children and unborn twin girls.
The Ombudsman's office, however, has ruled out any fresh investigation into the police handling of the investigation. And PSNI sources believe the programme contained 'no new revelations' in relation to their enquiry.
The Channel 4 programme was based on a number of secret documents which contained disturbing revelations about the RUC and Gardai's handling of intelligence prior to the bombing.
Reporter Alex Thompson claimed that the Omagh detective who passed on the first warning to the RUC Special Branch 11 days before the Real IRA struck broke down and wept uncontrollably when he later claimed lack of action by colleagues.
An internal report stated: "The officer has an overwhelming feeling of guilt, and at the outset asked 'Why has it taken two years for anyone to come and talk to me about this?'"
Other areas of the police investigation questioned included the facts that:
-150 cashpoint users prior to the explosion were identified but not traced
-There is no record of DNA sampling from those arrested for the bombing then released
-118 vehicles remained untraced or unidentified
-And no action was taken to trace the parked white van, which may have been holding a parking place for the bombers' car.
The programme also claimed that three years into the investigation a key officer secretly admitted that the forensic handling was a shambles.
On January l6th last year a Detective Superintendant, Senior Investigating Officer of the Omagh bomb, wrote to the Forensic Sciences Service stating "I feel that fundamentally, the scientific investigation of the Omagh bomb incident lacked two elements, co-ordination and communication between interested parties and a sense of urgency".
Confusion also reigned over who was actually leading the investigation with some senior officers pointing the finger at each other, the documentary claimed.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan, 21, was among the victims, said the revelations brought 'terrible pressure on the families of Omagh'. He called for a public enquiry to be set up to investigate the police handling of the bombing.
"I think it is totally amazing the amount of information that was out there, and no action appears to have been taken. From start to finish there was almost a feeling that this crime wasn't meant to be solved. It is very upsetting that something this big should still be rolling. Four and a half years after the attack we are still no nearer getting nearer to the truth of what happened that day."
Mr Gallagher said repeated requests for meetings with Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern and new Chief Constable Hugh Orde had been turned down. "We believe these people are trying to distance themselves from Omagh," he added.
Channel 4 News alleged police in Omagh received two further warnings than had previously been known, but again failed to act effectively.
It was alleged they were told on August 11 that dissidents were planning an operation, and then three days later, on the eve of the atrocity, were warned the dissidents had incendiary devices for use against commercial targets. None of the warnings claimed Omagh was to be hit.
Even though police on both sides of the border carried out a massive investigation into the bombing, nobody has been charged in Northern Ireland.
A spokesman at the Ombudsman's office said Ms O'Loan was not considering re-opening her inquiry as her team had already been aware of the warnings contained in this week's Channel 4 documentary.
The spokesman continued: "Those warnings were already contained in the RUC's own review of the investigation and the Ombudsman was already aware of the information. Although the material in the Channel 4 programme may be new within the public domain it is not new to the Ombudsman, therefore there is nothing to warrant the reopening of the investigation."
Laurence Rush, whose wife Libby also died, told the Channel 4 programme: "They had four warnings about this bomb. There's only four arteries into Omagh, and no absolutely no police vehicles, liveried or otherwise, were at those arteries to stop that bomb coming in.
"We're saying that Special Branch here has been responsible for closing down the investigation. We're saying that they're a law unto themselves."
Relatives of those killed in the blast are to meet shortly with officers currently conducting the inquiry into the Omagh attack including Detective Superintendent Norman Baxter.
A police spokesman said the PSNI was not prepared to comment on the new claims, but added: "The investigation into the Omagh bomb is still very active and is being vigorously conducted under the senior investigating officer."
Joe Byrne, SDLP MLA for West Tyrone and a member of the Policing Board, said he had 'grave concerns' over allegations made in the programme.
"All aspects of the Omagh bomb investigation including prior warnings must be thoroughly examined so that the bombers can be brought to trial and convictions can be secured. The Policing Board did address the Omagh bomb investigation in early February 2002 after the publication of the Police Ombudsman's report.
"The outcome of these recommendations is to ensure that the Omagh bombers are brought to justice and the failures of Special Branch are addressed. Proper structures and procedures must be put in place so that intelligence between Special Branch and other parts of the Police Service is shared and utilised," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1112
Published Date: 31-Oct-02
Related Images
