Relatives of the Omagh bomb victims yesterday accused the British and Irish governments and police authorities of deception, insisting that they were not fully co-operating in the search for the bombers.
After a 30-minute meeting with the British Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, to discuss the investigation, the relatives expressed disappointment with progress at official level and raised doubts about the inquiry into allegations that the Garda withheld information which, it is alleged, could have prevented the bombing.
Calling for a top-level meeting between the relatives and both governments, Mr Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son, James, was killed at Omagh, said officials had continually reassured the families that there was no specific intelligence on the bombing and that police on both sides of the Border were co-operating.
"We now believe this was a lie and we in the communities, North and South, have been deceived," Mr Barker said. "Significant action and leadership is now required from both governments if we . . . are ever to have the belief that a full, transparent, joint investigation is to take place, where politics and religion play no part in the search for the evidence that will bring these evil people to justice."
Mr Blunkett told the group of victims' relatives that the British government was resolved to tackle terrorism in all its forms.
Northern Ireland's First Minister yesterday welcomed the Government's decision to set up an inquiry into claims that information about the Omagh bombing was withheld from the then RUC by the Garda.
Mr David Trimble said that he would not prejudge the outcome of the inquiry, adding that his first thoughts were with the relatives of the victims.