GARDA PLEDGE HELP BUT NO OMAGH TESTIMONY
Garda pledge help but no Omagh testimony
GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy has publicly renewed his promise to relatives of the Omagh bomb atrocity victims that his force will provide whatever help it can in their civil action against five men they claim were involved.
The Garda chief's reassurance follows weekend disclosures that gardai are prevented by legal advice from testifying on behalf of the victims during at the forthcoming action against the five named suspects.
As reported in Monday's Tyrone Herald, the Garda chief has been advised by lawyers that testimony by his officers might jeopardise ongoing criminal investigation of the suspects in the August 15/1998, atrocity that claimed 31 lives, including two unborn babies, and injured 300 others.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Self-help and Support Group, had expressed surprise that relatives had learned of the possible setback to their case through media reports.
"This came as a complete and utter shock. We were given no indication whatsoever that the Garda were unwilling to co-operate - in fact the opposite," he said. "Our solicitors met with the Garda just a few weeks ago and had a very good meeting with them, and there was no indication at that time that they weren't prepared to come forward and support us."
Mr Gallagher added, "We weren't aware of any new leads, there was no imminent arrests or prosecutions so we're at a loss to see how the Garda co-operating with the civil action could in fact prejudice an ongoing criminal inquiry which of course we wouldn't want.
"Ideally what we need here is a criminal prosecution, and we're nine years on after the event, and either north or south that... hasn't happened yet.
"And if it comes to the point of giving evidence in court, I'm sure there are procedures where the Garda don't need to disclose anything that would prejudice any further inquiries should someone be brought to justice for the Omagh bomb," he said.
Mr Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden was killed in the Omagh bomb, said, "When a serious crime is committed, the first thing the PSNI and the Garda expect the public to do is to come forward and help them (by giving) all of the information they can. Here we are asking for the same help and support and the Garda are saying they are not willing to co-operate. I think it's totally unbelievable," he said.
However, in Dublin it is said that the Garda Commissioner had made it clear to the relatives during a series of meetings at Garda headquarters in Dublin more than two years ago, that his members were likely to face legal difficulties in testifying. Nine years after the blast, the investigation by the PSNI and the Garda remains open. Because of that, there are legal concerns that gardai and PSNI officers could not be cross-examined in a civil action, because their evidence could jeopardise the prospects of any future criminal action against the members of the Real IRA and Continuity IRA believed to have been involved in planning, manufacturing and carrying out the bomb attack.
At one stage, the five men named by the Omagh relatives group in its civil compensation case were all in prison in the Republic. Although Colm Murphy was the only one of the five to be convicted of the Omagh bombing - a conviction later overturned and a retrial ordered, the other four were convicted of other terror-related offences.
Michael McKevitt, from Blackrock, Co. Louth, the former chief of staff of the dissident group primarily responsible for the Omagh bombing, the Real IRA, was jailed for 20 years for directing a terrorist organisation - an offence created in the wake of the Omagh bomb.
His former director of operations and subsequent bitter enemy in jail, Liam Campbell, from Upper Faughart, Dundalk, was jailed for membership of an illegal organisation.
Seamus Daly, from Culloville, Co. Monaghan, had to serve three-and-a-half years imprisonment for membership of a dissident IRA group.
Seamus McKenna, formerly of Silverbridge, Co. Armagh, but with an address at Marian Park, Dundalk, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for unlawful possession of explosives.
GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy has publicly renewed his promise to relatives of the Omagh bomb atrocity victims that his force will provide whatever help it can in their civil action against five men they claim were involved.
The Garda chief's reassurance follows weekend disclosures that gardai are prevented by legal advice from testifying on behalf of the victims during at the forthcoming action against the five named suspects.
As reported in Monday's Tyrone Herald, the Garda chief has been advised by lawyers that testimony by his officers might jeopardise ongoing criminal investigation of the suspects in the August 15/1998, atrocity that claimed 31 lives, including two unborn babies, and injured 300 others.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Self-help and Support Group, had expressed surprise that relatives had learned of the possible setback to their case through media reports.
"This came as a complete and utter shock. We were given no indication whatsoever that the Garda were unwilling to co-operate - in fact the opposite," he said. "Our solicitors met with the Garda just a few weeks ago and had a very good meeting with them, and there was no indication at that time that they weren't prepared to come forward and support us."
Mr Gallagher added, "We weren't aware of any new leads, there was no imminent arrests or prosecutions so we're at a loss to see how the Garda co-operating with the civil action could in fact prejudice an ongoing criminal inquiry which of course we wouldn't want.
"Ideally what we need here is a criminal prosecution, and we're nine years on after the event, and either north or south that... hasn't happened yet.
"And if it comes to the point of giving evidence in court, I'm sure there are procedures where the Garda don't need to disclose anything that would prejudice any further inquiries should someone be brought to justice for the Omagh bomb," he said.
Mr Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden was killed in the Omagh bomb, said, "When a serious crime is committed, the first thing the PSNI and the Garda expect the public to do is to come forward and help them (by giving) all of the information they can. Here we are asking for the same help and support and the Garda are saying they are not willing to co-operate. I think it's totally unbelievable," he said.
However, in Dublin it is said that the Garda Commissioner had made it clear to the relatives during a series of meetings at Garda headquarters in Dublin more than two years ago, that his members were likely to face legal difficulties in testifying. Nine years after the blast, the investigation by the PSNI and the Garda remains open. Because of that, there are legal concerns that gardai and PSNI officers could not be cross-examined in a civil action, because their evidence could jeopardise the prospects of any future criminal action against the members of the Real IRA and Continuity IRA believed to have been involved in planning, manufacturing and carrying out the bomb attack.
At one stage, the five men named by the Omagh relatives group in its civil compensation case were all in prison in the Republic. Although Colm Murphy was the only one of the five to be convicted of the Omagh bombing - a conviction later overturned and a retrial ordered, the other four were convicted of other terror-related offences.
Michael McKevitt, from Blackrock, Co. Louth, the former chief of staff of the dissident group primarily responsible for the Omagh bombing, the Real IRA, was jailed for 20 years for directing a terrorist organisation - an offence created in the wake of the Omagh bomb.
His former director of operations and subsequent bitter enemy in jail, Liam Campbell, from Upper Faughart, Dundalk, was jailed for membership of an illegal organisation.
Seamus Daly, from Culloville, Co. Monaghan, had to serve three-and-a-half years imprisonment for membership of a dissident IRA group.
Seamus McKenna, formerly of Silverbridge, Co. Armagh, but with an address at Marian Park, Dundalk, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for unlawful possession of explosives.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1905
Published Date: 02-Aug-07
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