POLICE OFFICERS SUFFERED DREADFULLY
Police officers were among hundreds who suffered dreadfully - Barrister
THE TOLL of the Omagh bomb on the RUC which has come in for criticism over its handling of the tragedy - was referred to by Counsel for the Chief Constable, Stephen Ritchie.
He labelled the story of Omagh as "one full of tragedy" and said police officers were among the hundreds of people who had suffered dreadfully as a result of the bombing.
He also acknowledged a statement made earlier by a solicitors appearing for one of the bereaved families.
Oliver Roche had revealed that a lot of people had not returned to Omagh since the bomb, fearing that the same thing could happen again.
But Mr Richie believed it was the "terrorist gang terrorising the country for a long number of years" which was responsible for people not returning to the town.
In his submission, about how far the inquest should go in examining the circumstances leading up to the blast, he said "people will come to their own conclusions. Those who want to blame the Police will do so.
"Those, probably the vast majority, who blame the terrorists will do so because this bomb was planted callously in a crowded street with inadequate warning as to the timing and completely inaccurate warning as to the location."
Referring to the toll on Police he said that an Inspector who was on duty that day had since retired on medical grounds as a direct result of the events that day.
He revealed Inspector Joseph Johnson believed his wife and children were in the centre of the town as he dealt with the bomb warnings leading up to the explosion.
And he added that an RUC constable who gave evidence had not been able to return to work after cross examination by one of the solicitors. He said the witness had been subjected to "adversary tactics" during cross examination about the bomb warnings which had an adverse effect on him.
The proceeding, he said, was not designed to impugn any individual or individuals and anyone paying any attention to what was going on at the Inquest would see that to be the case.
Continuing, he said the Chief Constable would not object to officers being asked about their actions on the day. He said that events of that day would only be relevant to the Inquest. Other events would be superficial to the hearing.
He agreed that the presence of the deceased, Libbi Rush, at the door of her premises did have a bearing on her death.
The police had not reached her and one wonders why, he said as he recalled people not moving out with "more urgency'.
Lawyers acting for the next-of-kin of a number of dead had given prior notice that they were seeking permission for the police witnesses to be asked about RUC protocol for bomb scares as well as how police interpreted passing on and then responding to the three bomb warning that day.
Mr Ritchie argued that some of those questions were beyond the scope of inquests in Northern Ireland which unlike Coroner's Courts in other parts of the UK cannot draw up recommendations or reach verdicts.
Mr Ritchie said there was sympathy for those bereaved relatives who felt the issues had to be looked at.
"We recognise that it is the most human reaction to ask if anything else could have been done to save their loved ones.
"No-one blames them for instructing their lawyers to take a certain stance," he said.
All the Real IRA bombers had to do was say the explosives were in a red car at the lower end of Market Street, said Mr Richie.
"They saw their victims and they left, walking a distance away, they probably got into another car, telephoned someone else who then made the warning calls," he added.
Coroner, John Leckey said the Inquest had been presented with a" reservoir " of facts which the public could interpret.
Mr Ritchie said that anything he had said should not be taken as a criticism of the Rush and other families involved.
"We recognise it is the most human thing to do, to ask could anything else have been done to save my loved on?"
Coroner, Mr Leckey said he was sure that a body such as the RUC would always look at major incidents, such as Omagh, and would examine such incidents.
Mr Richie said that the majority of questions which Counsel for the Rushe family, Mr Mansfield, had included in his submission, were within the scope of the Inquest. A number had already been covered during the course of the Inquest.
THE TOLL of the Omagh bomb on the RUC which has come in for criticism over its handling of the tragedy - was referred to by Counsel for the Chief Constable, Stephen Ritchie.
He labelled the story of Omagh as "one full of tragedy" and said police officers were among the hundreds of people who had suffered dreadfully as a result of the bombing.
He also acknowledged a statement made earlier by a solicitors appearing for one of the bereaved families.
Oliver Roche had revealed that a lot of people had not returned to Omagh since the bomb, fearing that the same thing could happen again.
But Mr Richie believed it was the "terrorist gang terrorising the country for a long number of years" which was responsible for people not returning to the town.
In his submission, about how far the inquest should go in examining the circumstances leading up to the blast, he said "people will come to their own conclusions. Those who want to blame the Police will do so.
"Those, probably the vast majority, who blame the terrorists will do so because this bomb was planted callously in a crowded street with inadequate warning as to the timing and completely inaccurate warning as to the location."
Referring to the toll on Police he said that an Inspector who was on duty that day had since retired on medical grounds as a direct result of the events that day.
He revealed Inspector Joseph Johnson believed his wife and children were in the centre of the town as he dealt with the bomb warnings leading up to the explosion.
And he added that an RUC constable who gave evidence had not been able to return to work after cross examination by one of the solicitors. He said the witness had been subjected to "adversary tactics" during cross examination about the bomb warnings which had an adverse effect on him.
The proceeding, he said, was not designed to impugn any individual or individuals and anyone paying any attention to what was going on at the Inquest would see that to be the case.
Continuing, he said the Chief Constable would not object to officers being asked about their actions on the day. He said that events of that day would only be relevant to the Inquest. Other events would be superficial to the hearing.
He agreed that the presence of the deceased, Libbi Rush, at the door of her premises did have a bearing on her death.
The police had not reached her and one wonders why, he said as he recalled people not moving out with "more urgency'.
Lawyers acting for the next-of-kin of a number of dead had given prior notice that they were seeking permission for the police witnesses to be asked about RUC protocol for bomb scares as well as how police interpreted passing on and then responding to the three bomb warning that day.
Mr Ritchie argued that some of those questions were beyond the scope of inquests in Northern Ireland which unlike Coroner's Courts in other parts of the UK cannot draw up recommendations or reach verdicts.
Mr Ritchie said there was sympathy for those bereaved relatives who felt the issues had to be looked at.
"We recognise that it is the most human reaction to ask if anything else could have been done to save their loved ones.
"No-one blames them for instructing their lawyers to take a certain stance," he said.
All the Real IRA bombers had to do was say the explosives were in a red car at the lower end of Market Street, said Mr Richie.
"They saw their victims and they left, walking a distance away, they probably got into another car, telephoned someone else who then made the warning calls," he added.
Coroner, John Leckey said the Inquest had been presented with a" reservoir " of facts which the public could interpret.
Mr Ritchie said that anything he had said should not be taken as a criticism of the Rush and other families involved.
"We recognise it is the most human thing to do, to ask could anything else have been done to save my loved on?"
Coroner, Mr Leckey said he was sure that a body such as the RUC would always look at major incidents, such as Omagh, and would examine such incidents.
Mr Richie said that the majority of questions which Counsel for the Rushe family, Mr Mansfield, had included in his submission, were within the scope of the Inquest. A number had already been covered during the course of the Inquest.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1503
Published Date: 05-Oct-00
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