- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 1:That an investigative team led by a senior investigative officer independent of the Police Service of Northern Ireland should be asked to conduct the Omagh bomb investigation.
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: A senior detective from Merseyside Police has been appointed as an adviser to a senior investigative officer from the PSNI heading the Omagh investigation. He will ensure all the recommendations in internal police review are appropriately addressed and the investigation is "quality assured". He will be given direct access to senior officers including the Chief Constable.
- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 2:That an officer in overall command from an outside police force will be appointed to carry out the investigation of the potentially linked terrorist incidents identified in the Omagh bomb review report.
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: The Chief Constable claims the argument against this is "well rehearsed", noting there is a difference between criminal investigation in England and Wales and how terrorist organisations are investigated in Northern Ireland. The Merseyside officer will be consulted on this issue.
- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 3:That senior investigative officers in the Omagh bomb investigation and all other investigations must be given appropriate access to all relevant intelligence (The relevance test being that of the senior investigative officer).
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: The Police Service agrees that the investigators should be given access to all relevant intelligence but argues consideration must be given to the sensitivity of the information obtained by Special Branch.
- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 4:That Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) be invited to carry out a review of terrorist-linked murder inquiries, with a view to reporting on structure, resources, strategies, policies, practices and processes; This should include lines of communication and sharing of intelligence between Special Branch and CID generally and also with the senior investigating officer in charge of any murder inquiry.
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: He has no objections to HMIC conducting a review. However, he points out that with CID and Special Branch being incorporated into one department under the Government's police reforms, issues about the interaction of both are being addressed. The oversight commissioner, Tom Constantine, is keeping the merger under review.
- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 5:That a review takes place into the role and function of Special Branch with a view to ensuring that in future there are clear structures and procedures for the management and dissemination of intelligence between Special Branch and other parts of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and that Special Branch will be fully and professionally integrated into the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: Again this is being addressed by police reforms with the merger of Special Branch and CID.
- OMBUDSMAN'S RECOMMENDATION 6:That the Police Service of Northern Ireland adopt the policy of the Association of Chief Police Officers with regard to murder reviews.
THE CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPLY: This recommendation had already been accepted and adopted and is in the process of being implemented.
PA