OMAGH TRIAL TO HEAR FROM OMBUDSMANS
Omagh trial to hear from ombudsmans
FORMER Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been summoned to hand over any documents in her possession connected to claims that British intelligence services recorded phone conversations between Omagh bombers on the day of the attack.
Lawyers for victims' relatives who are suing five men over the atrocity also want her successor, Al Hutchinson, to produce any material he has which they believe could help their civil action.
Further legal requests have been made to Sir Joseph Pilling, a retired Under Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, former assistant chief constable Ray White and other high ranking police special branch officers.
All of them have been notified that the families legal team want them to provide anything which will assist their attempt to gain access to the top-secret information referred to in a television documentary.
The BBC Panorama programme claimed the Government listening agency General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) monitored calls as the bomb team drove a car packed with explosives into Omagh.
It is not known if the exchanges were listened to live or simply recorded.
Even though British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has intervened in the controversy by announcing a three-month intelligence review, the families want answers before the end of their multi-million pound compensation case at the High Court in Belfast. They are seeking the tapes, transcripts or any documents relevant to the intelligence services' activities.
During her time as Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman Dame Nuala became heavily involved in examining the investigation into the Omagh bombing.
She delivered a damning assessment of the police probe in December 2001, accusing the force of defective leadership and poor judgment.
Lawyers want to know whether she uncovered anything connected to the covert recordings and, if so, would she be prepared to bring it to court.
Summonses have also been issued under the Administration of Justice Act on Panorama reporter John Ware, GCHQ and its former senior officers, and MI5.
FORMER Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been summoned to hand over any documents in her possession connected to claims that British intelligence services recorded phone conversations between Omagh bombers on the day of the attack.
Lawyers for victims' relatives who are suing five men over the atrocity also want her successor, Al Hutchinson, to produce any material he has which they believe could help their civil action.
Further legal requests have been made to Sir Joseph Pilling, a retired Under Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, former assistant chief constable Ray White and other high ranking police special branch officers.
All of them have been notified that the families legal team want them to provide anything which will assist their attempt to gain access to the top-secret information referred to in a television documentary.
The BBC Panorama programme claimed the Government listening agency General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) monitored calls as the bomb team drove a car packed with explosives into Omagh.
It is not known if the exchanges were listened to live or simply recorded.
Even though British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has intervened in the controversy by announcing a three-month intelligence review, the families want answers before the end of their multi-million pound compensation case at the High Court in Belfast. They are seeking the tapes, transcripts or any documents relevant to the intelligence services' activities.
During her time as Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman Dame Nuala became heavily involved in examining the investigation into the Omagh bombing.
She delivered a damning assessment of the police probe in December 2001, accusing the force of defective leadership and poor judgment.
Lawyers want to know whether she uncovered anything connected to the covert recordings and, if so, would she be prepared to bring it to court.
Summonses have also been issued under the Administration of Justice Act on Panorama reporter John Ware, GCHQ and its former senior officers, and MI5.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1966
Published Date: 09-Oct-08
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