Omagh blast families see little hope for peace

Relatives of the victims of the Omagh bombing today bitterly attacked Northern Ireland politicians for ‘‘taking the money’’ on a promise of peace but failing to deliver.

Families of some of those killed in the single worst act of violence in 30 years of troubles also angrily denounced the Government, with one claiming it just wanted them to ‘‘bury their dead and go away’’.

As the third anniversary approached of the Real IRA car bomb explosion which killed 29 people, among them a woman heavily pregnant with twins, a group of the bereaved had two hours of talks with Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid in Belfast.

Afterwards Michael Gallagher, father of victim Adrian Gallagher, spoke of his frustration at seeing murders continue three years after local politicians had ‘‘taken the money’’ of the new political regime established by the peace process.

He was also moved to learn that Michael Brett, father of the latest murder victim, Gavin Brett - shot dead by loyalist terror group the Red Hand Defenders on Sunday night - was a paramedic who had dealt with the aftermath of Omagh.

Outside Castle Buildings, Stormont, he said: ‘‘It is despicable to see this continuing.

‘‘It is only continuing our pain to say we’re here at Stormont and these people have taken the money and said they could resolve our problems, yet three years on we’re still seeing young people and fathers and mothers being murdered on the streets of Northern Ireland.’’

Of the latest victim he said: ‘‘It is extremely sad that his father was somebody who reached out to other people in tragedy and has had to go under these terrible circumstances.

‘‘We feel that pain, and it is up to these people who have accepted the money and said they could resolve this, it is time they got on and did that.’’

Mr Gallagher said Dr Reid had reaffirmed that the Omagh investigation was ‘‘very live and active’’ and insisted there would be no let-up in the hunt for those responsible.

But Lawrence Rush, whose wife Libbi (correct) died in the bombing on August 15, 1998 said Dr Reid had been consistent with other secretaries of state in doing nothing and ‘‘papering the walls’’.

‘‘We are very perturbed by the lack of commitment from him,’’ Mr Rush said.

He swept aside assurances from Dr Reid about new procedures in place and said: ‘‘We have listened to all this before.

‘‘They are still killing people on the streets of Belfast. The agreement is not working.’’

And Godfrey Wilson, father of Oxfam volunteer worker Lorraine Wilson, 15, another victim, claimed the Ulster Secretary had been ‘‘reading from the same old hymn book’’.

He added: ‘‘We’re just victims and as far as I can see the system would wish us - what has been happening for the past 30 years - to go away and there will be more victims created the way things are going.’’

He claimed they were second class citizens and added: ‘‘They just don’t want to know us, it’s just bury our dead and just go away.’’