Submission from the Omagh Support Group
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In support of an Oral Evidence Session given
to The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee on 16 March 2009
at Stormont Belfast
A CALL FOR
A FULL
CROSS BORDER
PUBLIC INQUIRY
INTO THE
OMAGH BOMBING
We do not consider Omagh to be part of the history
of the troubles Omagh happened in peace times. The then Sectary
of State Mo Mowlam stated that those responsible would not be
given any special treatment because this atrocity happened after
the Good Friday Agreement was signed. We believe the only way
forward for the families is for the Irish and British governments
to grant a full cross border public inquiry into the circumstances
surrounding the Omagh Bombing.
The purpose for the production of this document is
to provide an overview of the atrocity, identifying actions taken
operational strengths, weaknesses and failings.
The Omagh Bombing is an event, which is unique
in history of our country murdering 31 innocent men women
and children and injuring hundreds from three nations.
The Omagh bomb happened at a time when we were
all looking to the future. Many families thanked God that they
had survived the 30 years of the troubles and were untouched by
terrorism. That illusion was to shatter for many hundreds of innocent
people on that sunny Saturday afternoon. From that day many of
us have made it part of our lives and our reason for living. The
most important thing is to get the truth and establish the facts.
We were never left in any doubt of as to who was responsible for
this wicked and evil act! It was the so-called real IRA. They
proudly announced that an active service unit from their group
had parked the explosive laden car in market street, Omagh. Without
proper warning they returned over the border to safety before
it exploded with horrific consequences. The innocent men women
and children of Omagh, Buncranna and Madrid were left to pick
up the pieces. There still remain many unanswered questions about
how much intelligence was available and how it was used by both
authorities. It has now emerged that the Irish government was
in secret talks with the RIRA at the highest level. The RUC murder
investigation teams failure as identified by the McVicar review
and the damming report by the Police Ombudsman. The Garda investigation
south of the border also failed to charge one single person with
murder at Omagh. Despite a confession by the person who stole
the car in Carrickmacross used in the Omagh bombing. He was not
even charged with car theft considering he was the person who
proved the murder weapon used at Omagh. It has also emerged that
the Garda had well placed informants close to and at the top of
the RIRA leadership.The bomb attack was launched from the republic
and the bomb team spent less than 40 minutes in Northern Ireland.
The Irish government has repeatedly failed to assist the PSNI
investigation team in Omagh with DNA profiles which they have
repeated requested. This matter was raised with the Irish Justice
Minister Michael McDowell by the Omagh relatives and the leader
opposition Enda Kenny. The Garda have also refused access to the
PSNI to interview an informed witness called Paddy Dixon. He is
on a witness protection program run by the Irish government. The
PSNI investigation team north believe this man could be a crucial
witness but wasn't being made available. After several formal
requests the SIO finally interview him. The Ombudsman's office
investigated allegations by Detective Sgn. John White's claims
about having vital information regarding the RIRA and the Omagh
bomb. The Ombudsman's office carried out a thorough investigation
and believed these claims to have substance. Nuala O'Lone personally
delivered her finding to the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Brian
Cowan. The Irish government appointed three seniors retired civil
servants to carry out the inquiry. None of these three individuals
had any investigative skills. One was a former DPP and may have
made decisions about Omagh. This was known as the Nally inquiry.
It was selective in the witness's that they selected for interview.
Paddy Dixon was not interviewed by this team despite the fact
that he was the central figure in this case. John White's telephone
records were not examined even though he gave permission for them
to be acquired. Norman Baxter (SIO, Omagh) was not interviewed
or other potential witnesses who made themselves available. This
report completely exonerated the Garda of all blame. The report
was considered not to be independent and had no judicial powers
or powers of investigation and the report was not fully published.
UPDATE
January 2002. The trial of the man accused of
conspiring with the Omagh Bombers Colin Murphy was sentenced to
14½ years in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin but on
appeal was granted a retrial when it was found that Det Garda
Liam Donnelly and Det Garda John Fathy was engaged in persistent
lying on oath in the course of cross-examination said the Judge
Mr Justice Barr.
On 18 January 2005 John White was acquitted
of six charges in Letterkenny courthouse in Co Donegal.
On 21 January 2005 Colm Murphy successfully
appealed his conviction for conspiracy in the Omagh bombing and
is still free awaiting a re-trial.
On 22 February 2006 PSNI Assistant Chief Constable
informed the families that MI5 helped to stop a plot to leave
a car bomb in Omagh or Derry in April 1998 this happened
four months before the Omagh bomb, the Police in Northern Ireland
was not informed until January 2006. Some of those involved live
in the Omagh area.
MI5 also learned from their Agent that the dissidents
had decided to shorten their bomb warning time. The Omagh investigation
Team was never told about this information.
At the same meeting the families where told
that a substantial part of the testimony of Garda Det Sgn. John
White was researched and found to be true and he is considered
a credible witness.
The Police Ombudsman's Office is currently investigating
a Special Branch Officer who it is alleged made an anonymous phone
call to Omagh Police Station on 4 August 1998 stating that
a terrorist attack would take place on 15 August 1998 in
Omagh town amazing and tragically that is what happened.
The Sub Divisional Commander was not informed
about this call until two and a half years later.The serious threat
book which records such calls has gone missing for this period
and has not been found to date.
September 2006. Sean Hoey went on trial in the
High Court in Belfast facing 58 Terrorist charges including
the murders of 29 people in Omagh after 56 days in Court
the Judge retired to make his judgment, which we received 11 months
later. Mr Justice Weir took an hour and fifteen minutes in which
he condemned Police Officers, Forensic Scientists and Scenes of
Crime Officers he had nothing positive to say about the investigation.
The Police Ombudsman has been called in to investigate the conduct
of at least two Officers who give evidence in this trial.
20 December 2007. Sean Hoey acquitted of all
charges.
21 December 2007. In a public statement Sir
Hugh Orde stated that it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever
be convicted in connection with the Omagh Bombing. You can now
murder 31 people in our country and get away with it.
3 July 2008. Policing Boards Independent External
Review into the Omagh Bomb Investigation by Sir Dan Crompton was
published and it appeared to blame the Judge for the outcome of
the trial.
15 September 2008. The BBC Current Affairs program
Panorama entitled Omagh What The Police Were Never Told claimed
that GCHQ had been monitoring and recording the voices of some
of the RIRA As they drove 500 pounds of explosives to Omagh on
15 August 1998. Within 36 hours of the broadcast the PM Gordon
Brown ordered a review of intelligence intercepts.
16 January 2009. Sir Peter Gibson intelligence
Services Commissioner delivered his review into intercepted intelligence
material relating to the Omagh Bombing. The Families received
a 16 page document outlining the findings of Sir Peter we
where not allowed to have any input into this inquiry despite
making ourselves available and requesting the terms of reference
which we never received. The conclusion was that no one done anything
wrong but nowhere in the document does it indicate that intercepts
did not take place and fails to say why intelligence leads where
not passed on to the investigating Officer.
19 February 2009. The Police Ombudsman meet
with the Families to share their finding into the conduct of Police
Officers in the Hoey trial and found no misconduct with these
Officers.
27 February 2009. In an affidavit on behalf
of the Plaintiffs in the Omagh Civil Action against the RIRA it
was alleged that the PSNI, Special Branch and/or Security Services
have in there possession a recording and transcripts relating
to conversations which indicate that some individuals had planted
a recording device in the car that delivered the bomb to Omagh.
We have experienced nothing but failure and
excuses. We were promised both publicly and privately that those
responsible would be brought before the courts yet nothing is
further from the truth. In this file you will see monumental failures
of intelligence, investigative and administrative mishandling
which undoubtedly minimized the chances of a successful prosecution
of those responsible for the worst atrocity of the troubles.
When people ask why do we require an enquiry
into the Omagh bombing the answer is:
— to establish the facts and the circumstances
surrounding the Omagh bombing;
— to review and revise standards and procedures;
— to improve security readiness and crisis
management;
— to access the efficiency and effectiveness
of intelligence surrounding Omagh;
— to determine the adequacy of coordination
of intelligence and anti terrorism counter measures amongst northern
Irelands security services, Republic of Ireland security and business
organizations generally;
— to access issues of personal accountability
for security; and
— to provide recommendations on how to
prevent new attacks or minimize the damage of successful attacks.
We must make sure that the lessons of Omagh
are learnt. So that mistakes can never happen and what is done
well is past on so that others can learn from our tragedy. Never
has so much been known about an atrocity and yet so little done
to stop it or catch those responsible. Surely that's the least
we owe to the 31 innocent people of who lost their lives
in such a cruel way.
The terms and powers of any new inquiry would
need to be such as to inspire widespread public confidence that
it would have access to all the relevant official material and
otherwise enjoy full official support and cooperation, that it
would operate independently, that it would investigate thoroughly
and comprehensively, and would genuinely and impartially seek
to establish what happened at Omagh why it happened and those
who must bear the responsibility for it.
This type of inquiry will end all inquiries
into Omagh we urge the Sectary of State and the Irish Government
to work with the Omagh Support and Self Help Group to achieve
public closure.
March 2009
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