“DISTURBING” NEW evidence has been found that should put pressure on the British and Irish governments to hold a cross-Border public inquiry into the Omagh bombing, according to relatives of the victims of the 1998 attack.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the bombing, told members of the House of Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee in Omagh yesterday that new details about the bombing have been uncovered.
Mr Gallagher said a London consultancy firm, whom the Omagh families had commissioned to carry out investigations on their behalf, had found new evidence that would support their calls for a public inquiry into the bombing.
Mr Gallagher said a report by the firm should be completed in time to be presented to the British, Irish and Spanish governments in March. The bombing claimed 29 lives, including a woman heavily pregnant with twins. Two of those who died were Spanish.
Mr Gallagher said he could give details, but “new and damaging evidence” would be coming out that would strengthen demands for an all-island public inquiry with an international dimension.
“We are in the process of discovering disturbing and significant information that would make it difficult for the governments not to grant an inquiry. But should they not grant us a public inquiry we will be prepared to go to the courts and challenge that decision.”
During the committee’s visit yesterday its chairman Laurence Robertson laid a wreath on behalf of the MPs at the bomb memorial site.
