no public enquiry into the Omagh bombing.

Banjo String

I think this is very unfortunate for the families involved, and for the residents of the town in general.

The Northern Ireland Secretary has said she has decided not to hold a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the 1998 Omagh bombing.

Twenty-nine people were murdered in the Real IRA attack.

Theresa Villiers said she did not believe there were sufficient grounds to justify a further inquiry beyond those that have already taken place.

She said "it was not an easy decision and that all views had been carefully considered".

Ms Villiers said she believed that the ongoing investigation by the police ombudsman was the best way to address any outstanding issues relating to the police investigation.

Last month relatives of the victims of the bombing said they were prepared to go to court to force the British and Irish governments to hold a full public inquiry into the bombing.

A letter telling relatives of the government decision was hand delivered to them on Thursday morning.

Relatives from the Omagh Self Help Group have said they are devastated by the news after their long campaign for a full public inquiry.

'Full truth'

Some of the families of those killed still believe the full truth of the events surrounding the bombing has never been revealed.

Over a year ago they presented a report to the British and Irish governments as part of their campaign for a full public inquiry.

One of the single worse atrocities in the north, and they believe theirs not 'grounds'???


http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24062543

Larbre34

Banjo String wrote: »

I think this is very unfortunate for the families involved, and for the residents of the town in general.



One of the single worse atrocities in the north, and they believe theirs not 'grounds'???


http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24062543

All you have to do is look at the toll the wait for a Bloody Sunday inquiry took on the Derry families. They may say it was all worth it as the recognition of the actual sequence of events an apology from the British state cleared the names of some of the victims.

Omagh was different, and I'm not sure what the families can really get to ease their pain. Experienced terrorists planted a bomb, security forces on both sides of the border bent over backwards trying to get convictions, the criminal prosecutions failed due to Garda tampering with interview notes and improper direction by the Court, a civil case against 4 suspects found them 'liable' due to 'overwhelming' evidence and an award was made

What other truth is out there? The 4 boyos are 'liable' and nobody else is being sought, but the mess up of the criminal case and trial means thats the limbo we all have to live with.....

Wacker The Attacker

This is an ignorant question and I apologise in advance.

"What exactly were they hoping to inquire into"

kneemos

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

This is an ignorant question and I apologise in advance.

"What exactly were they hoping to inquire into"

Colusion by the security forces in witholding information prior to the bombing.

Wacker The Attacker

kneemos wrote: »

Colusion by the security forces in witholding information prior to the bombing.

Which ones?

Banjo String

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

Which ones?

Both.

Also why intelligence wasn't acted on.

In August, just a few days before the 15th anniversary of the bombing, they revealed some of that document that they said shows there was substantial intelligence warning that dissident republicans were planning an attack.

However, they believe information was not shared between police forces north and south of the border and intelligence services, including the FBI and MI5.]

MonaPizza

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

Which ones?

RUC most likely, or MI5. Gardai would have nothing to gain by allowing the bomb to kill innocents

Wacker The Attacker

MonaPizza wrote: »

RUC most likely, or MI5. Gardai would have nothing to gain by allowing the bomb to kill innocents

It was mentioned on the 11 O'Clock that the families will now seek an inquiry from our government. Or at least they will be in contact with them

If the gardai are in the clear why are they doing that?

Frogeye

They are looking for someone to blame. they can't pin it on any one person in the IRA so now they are looking to blame the security forces.

I can understand why they are doing it but what difference is it going to make now?

Wacker The Attacker

Frogeye wrote: »

They are looking for someone to blame. they can't pin it on any one person in the IRA so now they are looking to blame the security forces.

I can understand why they are doing it but what difference is it going to make now?

Then they're clearly doing it for the wrong reasons.