SINN FEIN BACKS A FULL INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO OMAGH ATTACK
Sinn Fein backs a full independent inquiry into Omagh attack
BY PETER KELLY
THE controversial Omagh bomb investigation could to be raised by Sinn Fein's incoming members of the Policing Board, it emerged this week in an exclusive Ulster Herald interview with the North's new Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
On his way to attend the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle meeting in Dublin to approve the appointment of the three MLAs to the Policing Board, Mr McGuinness strongly backed calls by some of the Omagh bomb victim families for a full, independent international investigation of the actual bombing and the subsequent police investigation.
"There are serious questions to be asked about the Omagh bomb investigation," said the Mid-Ulster MP. "Nobody knows more about what happened than (the PSNI), and there's a very strong argument for an international, independent investigation into the Omagh bomb investigation and the actual bomb explosion itself."
The North's new Deputy First Minister went further.
"Republicans would be only too glad to co-operate with any independent, international investigation into the bomb explosion, because we think the PSNI themselves have questions to answer. There's a very strong belief within Irish Republicanism that the PSNI not alone failed to investigate the Omagh bomb properly, but the RUC actually knew about the bomb before it took place."
Mr McGuinness also spoke of his striking relations with First Minister Ian Paisley and indicated that he now considered they are on the same side in getting a fair deal for everyone in the North.
"People talked about our government being a battle a day. But it's with Ian Paisley and I on the same side battling with the British Treasury" he said.
On his role as joint figurehead of the North's new administration, he said, "I'm not pinching myself. I've known we were going to come to this point with great certainty over the past two years."
Yet he admitted surprise at the DUP leader's new amenable approach.
"The good humour that Ian Paisley has brought to all of this has surprised many people, but I think people are pleasantly surprised."
And the chances of any chemistry on a personal level? "Well, I find him very civil and courteous in all of the engagements in which we've been involved. "We're working very positively and very constructively together. I'm very committed to keeping that going and I actually think that he is too."
He agreed that the make-or-break issues of devolving policing and justice powers loom large over the new political arrangements between Sinn Fein, the DUP and the other parties in the power-sharing Executive, with Republican aims at polar opposites to the DUP. But the former Derry IRA commander is careful to minimise any potential fracture on the horizon.
"No, I don't envisage any great difficulties on that score at all," he told the Ulster Herald "The St Andrews (Agreement) business was going to propel us all forward into government, and to dealing with policing as it was laid out there."
The Mid-Ulster MP was adamant that any possible lethal division can be avoided.
BY PETER KELLY
THE controversial Omagh bomb investigation could to be raised by Sinn Fein's incoming members of the Policing Board, it emerged this week in an exclusive Ulster Herald interview with the North's new Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
On his way to attend the Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle meeting in Dublin to approve the appointment of the three MLAs to the Policing Board, Mr McGuinness strongly backed calls by some of the Omagh bomb victim families for a full, independent international investigation of the actual bombing and the subsequent police investigation.
"There are serious questions to be asked about the Omagh bomb investigation," said the Mid-Ulster MP. "Nobody knows more about what happened than (the PSNI), and there's a very strong argument for an international, independent investigation into the Omagh bomb investigation and the actual bomb explosion itself."
The North's new Deputy First Minister went further.
"Republicans would be only too glad to co-operate with any independent, international investigation into the bomb explosion, because we think the PSNI themselves have questions to answer. There's a very strong belief within Irish Republicanism that the PSNI not alone failed to investigate the Omagh bomb properly, but the RUC actually knew about the bomb before it took place."
Mr McGuinness also spoke of his striking relations with First Minister Ian Paisley and indicated that he now considered they are on the same side in getting a fair deal for everyone in the North.
"People talked about our government being a battle a day. But it's with Ian Paisley and I on the same side battling with the British Treasury" he said.
On his role as joint figurehead of the North's new administration, he said, "I'm not pinching myself. I've known we were going to come to this point with great certainty over the past two years."
Yet he admitted surprise at the DUP leader's new amenable approach.
"The good humour that Ian Paisley has brought to all of this has surprised many people, but I think people are pleasantly surprised."
And the chances of any chemistry on a personal level? "Well, I find him very civil and courteous in all of the engagements in which we've been involved. "We're working very positively and very constructively together. I'm very committed to keeping that going and I actually think that he is too."
He agreed that the make-or-break issues of devolving policing and justice powers loom large over the new political arrangements between Sinn Fein, the DUP and the other parties in the power-sharing Executive, with Republican aims at polar opposites to the DUP. But the former Derry IRA commander is careful to minimise any potential fracture on the horizon.
"No, I don't envisage any great difficulties on that score at all," he told the Ulster Herald "The St Andrews (Agreement) business was going to propel us all forward into government, and to dealing with policing as it was laid out there."
The Mid-Ulster MP was adamant that any possible lethal division can be avoided.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1902
Published Date: 17-May-07
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