IRISH GOVERNMENT DENIES DEAL WITH REAL IRA IN RETURN FOR CEASEFIRE
Irish government denies deal with Real IRA in return for ceasefire
THE Dublin government has denied doing a deal with the Real IRA group behind the Omagh bomb attack in order to secure a ceasefire by the Republican splinter group.
The allegation said to centre on an an agreement not to 'harass' Real IRA members was made in a Channel 4 News programme this week.
Programme makers . also claimed to have uncovered evidence that the Gardai had a major informant, who was the man the Real IRA used to buy their bomb-carrying cars, and that the police allowed the car bomb to go through to Omagh.
It also repeated charges about the extent of possibly vital information in the hands of the Gardai ahead of the 1998 bomb attack.
Co-incidentally, it was also confirmed that Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has had talks in Dublin with members of a commission set up by the Irish government specifically to investigate the contribution of the Gardai to inquiries into the Omagh bombing.
She presented documents to the commission in relation to information that had come to light as a result of investigations made by her team and also believed to centre on claims made by John White.
The suspended officer who could not appear in Tuesday night's Channel 4 filmed report because he is still a serving Garda - has claimed that in 1998 he was providing his superiors with high grade information supplied by a Real IRA informer.
INTERCEPTION
Mr White said that details provided by his source led to a number of strikes by Gardai against the Real IRA, including the interception of a car bomb at Dun Laoghaire ferry port in April 1998.
He also claimed that days before the Omagh bombing, information he received from this same source about a car being stolen for use in the North, was not passed on to the Royal Ulster Constabulary by their counterparts on the southern side of the border.
The three-strong Dublin commission was established earlier this year after a concerned Ms O'Loan brought the claims to the attention of Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.
The Gardai have rejected the TV allegations that they had information prior to the Omagh massacre as 'totally unfounded.'
In a statement, the force said the Gardai and the PSNI "had, and continue to have, an excellent working protocol in all areas of law enforcement, particularly in-so-far as intelligence on criminal or terrorist activity is concerned.
"Any suggestion to the contrary is ludicrous.
"The allegations are without foundation and appear to emanate from a mischievous source.
"The Commissioner is concerned that such unfounded allegations will be a source of anxiety to any relatives of those tragically killed or injured in Omagh."
The Channel 4 report followed one on the same news programme on Monday night alleging that the police in Northern Ireland received four warnings of terrorist attacks before the Omagh bomb outrage.
Only one person has been charged and convicted in connection with the bombing, despite widespread police investigations throughout Ireland.
The allegation of a deal was made in a briefing document from Mr White that told of the claimed arrangement 'with a government minister,' declaring that 'in return for calling a ceasefire, no RIRA members would be harassed or receive undue Garda attention.'
The programme said they had seen documents showing that charges against people arrested after Omagh were 'dropped on the orders of the state, without explanations.'
The deal was also claimed to have been confirmed by Mr White's informant in a covert tape recording made in a car.
There was no immediate response from the Irish government to the allegations of a deal with the Real IRA.
The Irish government dismissed claims that they had been involved in a post-Omagh deal with the Real IRA to secure a ceasefire by the terror group.
A spokesman said there was 'absolutely and utterly no foundation' to the allegations.
It was also pointed out in official Dublin circles tonight that one person had been convicted and sentenced in the Republic in connection with the Omagh bombing, that 30 Real IRA personnel were currently serving jail terms and that files were with the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to a number of other members of that organisation.
THE Dublin government has denied doing a deal with the Real IRA group behind the Omagh bomb attack in order to secure a ceasefire by the Republican splinter group.
The allegation said to centre on an an agreement not to 'harass' Real IRA members was made in a Channel 4 News programme this week.
Programme makers . also claimed to have uncovered evidence that the Gardai had a major informant, who was the man the Real IRA used to buy their bomb-carrying cars, and that the police allowed the car bomb to go through to Omagh.
It also repeated charges about the extent of possibly vital information in the hands of the Gardai ahead of the 1998 bomb attack.
Co-incidentally, it was also confirmed that Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has had talks in Dublin with members of a commission set up by the Irish government specifically to investigate the contribution of the Gardai to inquiries into the Omagh bombing.
She presented documents to the commission in relation to information that had come to light as a result of investigations made by her team and also believed to centre on claims made by John White.
The suspended officer who could not appear in Tuesday night's Channel 4 filmed report because he is still a serving Garda - has claimed that in 1998 he was providing his superiors with high grade information supplied by a Real IRA informer.
INTERCEPTION
Mr White said that details provided by his source led to a number of strikes by Gardai against the Real IRA, including the interception of a car bomb at Dun Laoghaire ferry port in April 1998.
He also claimed that days before the Omagh bombing, information he received from this same source about a car being stolen for use in the North, was not passed on to the Royal Ulster Constabulary by their counterparts on the southern side of the border.
The three-strong Dublin commission was established earlier this year after a concerned Ms O'Loan brought the claims to the attention of Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.
The Gardai have rejected the TV allegations that they had information prior to the Omagh massacre as 'totally unfounded.'
In a statement, the force said the Gardai and the PSNI "had, and continue to have, an excellent working protocol in all areas of law enforcement, particularly in-so-far as intelligence on criminal or terrorist activity is concerned.
"Any suggestion to the contrary is ludicrous.
"The allegations are without foundation and appear to emanate from a mischievous source.
"The Commissioner is concerned that such unfounded allegations will be a source of anxiety to any relatives of those tragically killed or injured in Omagh."
The Channel 4 report followed one on the same news programme on Monday night alleging that the police in Northern Ireland received four warnings of terrorist attacks before the Omagh bomb outrage.
Only one person has been charged and convicted in connection with the bombing, despite widespread police investigations throughout Ireland.
The allegation of a deal was made in a briefing document from Mr White that told of the claimed arrangement 'with a government minister,' declaring that 'in return for calling a ceasefire, no RIRA members would be harassed or receive undue Garda attention.'
The programme said they had seen documents showing that charges against people arrested after Omagh were 'dropped on the orders of the state, without explanations.'
The deal was also claimed to have been confirmed by Mr White's informant in a covert tape recording made in a car.
There was no immediate response from the Irish government to the allegations of a deal with the Real IRA.
The Irish government dismissed claims that they had been involved in a post-Omagh deal with the Real IRA to secure a ceasefire by the terror group.
A spokesman said there was 'absolutely and utterly no foundation' to the allegations.
It was also pointed out in official Dublin circles tonight that one person had been convicted and sentenced in the Republic in connection with the Omagh bombing, that 30 Real IRA personnel were currently serving jail terms and that files were with the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to a number of other members of that organisation.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1113
Published Date: 31-Oct-02
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