Public inquiry into atrocity demanded by relatives of victims

RELATIVES of victims of the Omagh bombing demanded a public inquiry to discover the truth yesterday — the fifth anniversary of the atrocity.

After a short memorial service in the town, the relatives of those killed in the Real IRA attack, which claimed the lives of 29 people, and a pair of unborn twins, read a statement thanking the emergency services for their work that day. But they also said: “After five years of criminal investigations, we are now calling on the Dublin and London governments to give us a full cross-Border public inquiry.

“To date, we have had six investigations into Omagh without conviction. We now want the truth about what happened on that fateful day.” The statement was read by Caroline Martin, whose sister Esther Gibson was killed in the attack. About 400 people attended the memorial service and observed a minute’s silence.

Among those who joined families and friends of those killed, as well as survivors, were Junior Minister Noel Ahern; Northern Ireland Security Minister Jane Kennedy, and Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid, who heads the Omagh investigation.

The service at the Omagh Memorial Garden consisted of prayers and songs, including one called The Voice of Innocence, based on a poem by Omagh bomb victim Shaun McLaughlin. Several wreaths were laid including one on behalf of the people of Omagh by the chief executive of the local council, Danny McSorley. Relatives placed photos among the wreaths. In a symbolic move, Irish dancers joined Scottish pipe band members in a procession hand-in-hand while The Voice Of Innocence was played.

Afterwards, Ms Kennedy said the focus should remain on the criminal investigation. She also noted that the Government had pledged €1.2 million to the Omagh families’ civil action against five dissident republicans suspected of having planned and carried out the atrocity.

The lawsuit will be heard at Belfast High Court early next year.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the atrocity, said the families did not want to suffer a long wait for the truth to emerge. “We don’t want to be sitting here 30 years on, like the Monaghan and Dublin families.”