Judge says, Omagh bombing could have been prevented

It is plausible enough that there were some real prospects that the security services could have prevented the 1998 Omagh bombing. Mr. Justice Mark Homer has also called for a new investigation on both sides of the Irish border.

He made his ruling in the Belfast High Court in a case. Michael Gallagher has brought this cash up whose son was one of the victims.

The 29 victims of the Real IRA attack include a pregnant woman with twins. It has been the biggest single atrocity in the history of Troubles in Northern Ireland. No one ever got the conviction for carrying out the Omagh bombing attack.

In his ruling, the judge said that he is satisfied on certain grounds. This has given rise to the plausible allegations that there was a real prospect of preventing the Omagh bombing.

He continues, “These grounds involve, inter alia, the consideration of terrorist activity on both sides of the border by prominent dissident terrorist republicans leading up to the Omagh bomb.”

Also, he added that it is not within his power to order any kind of investigation to take place in the Republic of Ireland.

He added, “Any investigation will have to look specifically at the issue of whether a more proactive campaign of disruption, especially if co-ordinated north and south of the border, had a real prospect of preventing the Omagh bombing, and whether, without the benefit of hindsight, the potential advantages of taking a much more aggressive approach towards the suspected terrorists outweighed the potential disadvantages inherent in such an approach.”

The judge also said that he would not order a public inquiry to look at its arguable grounds of preventability.

While responding to the verdict, Michale Gallagher said the conclusion of the court after 23 years of the bombing vindicates a consistent view. Some inappropriate issues need investigation.

The only mechanism which can bring about the truth and justice is a full public inquiry. For a very long time, there has also been no doubt in his mind that Omagh was a preventable atrocity. Nobody wanted to hear his message, not even the Irish government or the British government.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said that the families deserve an answer for it. The legal case began in 2013 and concluded two years ago. The judgment finally came. There have been national security issues around the evidence and hearing which has delayed the matters. But it concluded in July of 2019.

Credits: BBC