Relatives renew pressure over Omagh report
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern faced fresh pressure tonight to release a report his Government commissioned on the Omagh bomb after a County Donegal policeman was cleared of six corruption charges.
Detective Sergeant John White from Ballybofey was acquitted today of six charges of making false statements and attempting to pervert the course of justice, on the direction of a Circuit Court judge in Letterkenny.
The courts have still to rule on one other charge against Mr White, unlawful possession of a firearm.
Judge Sean O’Donovan directed the jury today that Mr White should be found not guilty because of inconsistencies in the evidence of the main prosecution witness.
The detective came to the attention of Omagh families when he claimed a Real IRA informer warned him before the 1998 attack about a car which was to be used in a bombing.
Mr White said he passed on the warning to a senior garda officer but it was not conveyed to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
In August 1998 a car bomb exploded in Omagh town centre, killing 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.
Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan investigated Mr White’s claim, passing her findings on to former Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.
The Irish Government appointed a team to investigate his allegations which was headed by retired civil servant Dermot Nally.
In December 2003, Justice Minister Michael McDowell told the Dáil that the Nally Report had found no evidence to support any of the claims.
The Government has been criticised by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny for not publishing the Nally Report.
Omagh relatives, who were at today’s court hearing, claimed the clearing of six of the charges against Mr White placed a fresh onus on the Government to release the report.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden died in the Real IRA bomb attack, said: “What this verdict effectively does is remove the blanket which has concealed the truth up to now.
“We have been denied the right to see this report by the authorities because they have told us the source of these allegations was unreliable and facing charges.
“Following today, he does not look unreliable now.
“There is, therefore, an onus on the Irish Government to publish the Nally Report.
“We are seeking a meeting with Mr McDowell at the earliest opportunity to discuss what the Irish Government will do.”
