Omagh relatives and Police Board to meet on Monday

Relatives of the victims of the Omagh bombing will meet members of the North’s Police Board on Monday after hearing chief constable Ronnie Flanagan’s response to criticism of the RUC investigation into the 1998 attack.

The relatives are expected to tell the board whether they support the Police Ombudsman’s call for an independent police officer to take charge of the investigation.

The Ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan, recommended that Detective Superintendent Brian McArthur, the current head of the Omagh investigation, should be replaced by an outside officer.

Yesterday, Mr Flanagan said that, although he is willing to invite a senior officer from Merseyside to assist the inquiry, he won’t accept a replacement for Detective McArthur.

Because of this stand-off between Ms O’Loan and Mr Flanagan, the Police Board or the Northern Secretary will have to make the ultimate decision, but legally, the chief constable retains operational supremacy.