Omagh families demand public inquiry

Families of the 29 people killed in the Omagh bombing are demanding a public inquiry as Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan defended his officers' handling of the investigation.

Mr Flanagan failed to convince Omagh relatives during a five-hour meeting in the town that his officers had done everything possible to bring the Real IRA bombers to justice.

Relatives emerged unhappy with his response to Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's scathing criticisms of his officers' investigation.

But they also appealed for an end to the public slaging match between the Chief Constable and Mrs O'Loan stemming from her report last month.

Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was among the 29 killed in the August 1998 atrocity, said: "There has to be a public inquiry. We are three and a half years down the line.

"One person has been convicted and we have this battering match between the Chief Constable and Nuala O'Loan - a political football. The only answer is a public inquiry."

Mr Flanagan emerged from the meeting admitting errors were made in the police investigation but insisted those behind the atrocity could still be caught.

"In terms of the circle of victims who have been so directly affected by this atrocity, I doubt if you would find anyone outside this circle who cares more about this than I do, or who has been affected more than I have," he said.

"I have no difficulty saying from the bottom of my heart I am desperately sorry we have not yet brought to justice those who are responsible."

Mrs O'Loan said she is standing "very firmly" behind her investigators' report. The ombudsman, said it is evident "there are clear disagreements on fundamental matters of fact between my findings and the information presented today by the Police Service.