Blast victims' relatives snub Ahern visit to Omagh

BERTIE AHERN'S perceived snub of the Omagh atrocity relatives last year was returned in kind yesterday, when the main victims' group snubbed his first visit there since 1998.

As the Taoiseach laid a wreath near the site of the atrocity, the group representing the bulk of the families of the 29 people killed by the bombing were in Dublin, where they met Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny. The group's spokesman, Michael Gallagher, was scornful of the 10 minutes Mr Ahern had allotted to meet relatives. He also described the Nally Report which inquired into allegations that gardaí may have been tipped off about such an eventuality as fatally flawed and a whitewash.

Mr Ahern was fiercely criticised by relatives last year for not appearing in Omagh for the fifth anniversary of the bombing. Instead, his brother, Junior Minister Noel Ahern attended amid accusations that he was hastily dispatched in a face-saving exercise.