Policing board to rule on Omagh inquiry row
Northern Ireland’s Policing Board is to face demands for an early response to calls for an outside officer to take charge of the Omagh bomb inquiry.
Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan and Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan will meet with the scrutinising body in Belfast tomorrow after she criticised him and his officers’ investigation into the atrocity.
In her devastating report on the hunt for the Real IRA bombers who killed 29 people in August 1998, Mrs O’Loan called for an outside officer to be drafted in to head the probe.
This recommendation was rejected by Sir Ronnie in a furious response issued last month, leaving the Board to settle the dispute.
With the relatives of those killed in the outrage threatening to withdraw support for the police investigation and demand a full public inquiry, the 19-strong fledgling body faces a defining moment.
The board’s political representatives, drawn from both unionist and nationalist parties, said tonight they were acutely aware of how crucial their role has now become.
‘‘This has the potential to torpedo the Policing Board,’’ one member warned.
Although members will want to take their time before responding to the furore, it is understood the Ombudsman’s office would like a response before the end of the month.
Sir Ronnie is set to argue it isn’t necessary to bring in an outside officer to lead the investigating team.
The Chief Constable insisted Superintendent Brian McArthur, the former deputy senior investigating officer who has been running the probe for the last 18 months, should remain in charge.
Mr McArthur will be advised by a senior Merseyside detective brought in to quality-assure the probe.
But this isn’t good enough for the Ombudsman’s office.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the Omagh bomb, insisted the onus was now firmly on the Board.
He said tonight: ‘‘If we are not happy with the outcome, we will be patient and we will get a full public inquiry.’’
One of the Ulster Unionists on the board, Fred Cobain, accepted investigating officers had made mistakes, but insisted the focus should not be on blaming the police.
The North Belfast Assemblyman claimed the Ombudsman’s report had been ‘‘unfair’’ on the police.
Although he urged fellow board members against turning the issue into a game of political point scoring, he added: ‘‘The report made a number of very sweeping and dangerous generalisations that do not stand up to factual scrutiny.
‘‘Mrs O’Loan should have consulted at length with the Chief Constable before completing the report.’’
In the Northern Ireland Assembly Ian Paisley Jr, one of the Democratic Unionists’ three representatives, criticised SDLP leader Mark Durkan’s ‘‘divisive’’ backing for an outside officer to head the inquiry.
The SDLP’s members on the board were tonight locked in talks ahead of tomorrow’s crucial meeting.
