BARKER BLASTS PM OVER FLANAGAN
BARKER BLASTS PM OVER FLANAGAN
BY RONAN McSHERRY
r. mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
A LAWYER whose 12-year-old son died in the Omagh bomb, has slammed Prime Minister Gordon Brown's public backing of Ronnie Flanagan who was RUC Chief Constable at the time of the atrocity.
Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James died in the blast, told the Ulster Herald he believes the PM's comments were in response to the recent criticisms regarding Ronnie Flanagan's handling of the Omagh bomb investigation. The first investigation was headed by Mr Flanagan, between 1998 and 2001.
This week Gordon Brown stated that the under-fire former RUC boss is doing "an excellent job" in his present capacity as head of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Last month, Mr Flanagan was criticised by relatives of Omagh bomb victims following a judge's criticisms of the police over the investigation.
Four weeks ago, Victor Barker called for the resignation of the former police chief, following the acquittal of Sean Hoey who was accused of the murder of 29 people killed in the blast. (Two unborn babies were also killed in the explosion.)
Mr Barker also stated that he wanted to talk about the original investigation in some detail with both Ronnie Flanagan and PM Brown. So far his efforts to contact either man have been in vain.
"The Prime Minister's remarks in praise of Ronnie Flanagan are absolutely a reaction to my criticisms after the Omagh bomb because he knows I am gunning for him," Mr Barker told the Herald. "I have left no less than four messages with Ronnie Flanagan's office for him to call me only to be told he is on leave and unavailable for comment. He should be made to answer for the very severe criticisms he has had. I believe he should resign his position because he has been criticised by a judge of vast inefficiencies and mishandling.
"I have also tried to speak to the Prime Minister and could not get in contact with him. I have also written to him asking for an interview and, again, I have received no reply."
Outside the courthouse last month Mr Barker was scathing of what he described as the "appalling lack of efficiency" of the original investigation after Sean Hoey was cleared of his son's murder. Pointing the finger at the former RUC chief, Mr Barker said, "It's Ronnie Flanagan's investigation that has come in for criticism. The judge said the means of storing evidence was very poor. For example, the tagging was not done properly and there was no way of knowing whether evidence had been interfered with. Ronnie Flanagan said he would fall on his sword if anything was wrong with this investigation. I will give him the sword."
Regarding Gordon Brown's ringing endorsement of the former RUC head this week, Mr Barker added, "He is entitled to make those comments and they may be a reflection of Ronnie Flanagan's current job but I am not taking about his current job. I am talking about what he did in the Omagh investigation and how badly he let the relatives down. As he said himself he would commit suicide in public if his investigation is ever found to be flawed. A judge has just said his investigation is completely flawed and I am asking Ronnie Flanagan to come out and justify his position."
Mr Barker concluded, "I absolutely intend to persevere with this and will continue to try and meet the Prime Minister and Ronnie Flanagan."
BY RONAN McSHERRY
r. mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
A LAWYER whose 12-year-old son died in the Omagh bomb, has slammed Prime Minister Gordon Brown's public backing of Ronnie Flanagan who was RUC Chief Constable at the time of the atrocity.
Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James died in the blast, told the Ulster Herald he believes the PM's comments were in response to the recent criticisms regarding Ronnie Flanagan's handling of the Omagh bomb investigation. The first investigation was headed by Mr Flanagan, between 1998 and 2001.
This week Gordon Brown stated that the under-fire former RUC boss is doing "an excellent job" in his present capacity as head of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. Last month, Mr Flanagan was criticised by relatives of Omagh bomb victims following a judge's criticisms of the police over the investigation.
Four weeks ago, Victor Barker called for the resignation of the former police chief, following the acquittal of Sean Hoey who was accused of the murder of 29 people killed in the blast. (Two unborn babies were also killed in the explosion.)
Mr Barker also stated that he wanted to talk about the original investigation in some detail with both Ronnie Flanagan and PM Brown. So far his efforts to contact either man have been in vain.
"The Prime Minister's remarks in praise of Ronnie Flanagan are absolutely a reaction to my criticisms after the Omagh bomb because he knows I am gunning for him," Mr Barker told the Herald. "I have left no less than four messages with Ronnie Flanagan's office for him to call me only to be told he is on leave and unavailable for comment. He should be made to answer for the very severe criticisms he has had. I believe he should resign his position because he has been criticised by a judge of vast inefficiencies and mishandling.
"I have also tried to speak to the Prime Minister and could not get in contact with him. I have also written to him asking for an interview and, again, I have received no reply."
Outside the courthouse last month Mr Barker was scathing of what he described as the "appalling lack of efficiency" of the original investigation after Sean Hoey was cleared of his son's murder. Pointing the finger at the former RUC chief, Mr Barker said, "It's Ronnie Flanagan's investigation that has come in for criticism. The judge said the means of storing evidence was very poor. For example, the tagging was not done properly and there was no way of knowing whether evidence had been interfered with. Ronnie Flanagan said he would fall on his sword if anything was wrong with this investigation. I will give him the sword."
Regarding Gordon Brown's ringing endorsement of the former RUC head this week, Mr Barker added, "He is entitled to make those comments and they may be a reflection of Ronnie Flanagan's current job but I am not taking about his current job. I am talking about what he did in the Omagh investigation and how badly he let the relatives down. As he said himself he would commit suicide in public if his investigation is ever found to be flawed. A judge has just said his investigation is completely flawed and I am asking Ronnie Flanagan to come out and justify his position."
Mr Barker concluded, "I absolutely intend to persevere with this and will continue to try and meet the Prime Minister and Ronnie Flanagan."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1918
Published Date: 10-Jan-08
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