Omagh inquiry to investigate alleged security lapses

AN independent inquiry into the Omagh bombing will examine alleged security failings that led a UK High Court judge to conclude the outrage could plausibly have been prevented.

The dissident republican bomb exploded in the Co. Tyrone town on August 15 1998, killing 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris ordered the statutory inquiry into the attack last year in response to a court judgment that directed the UK government to establish some form of investigation.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the Real IRA bombing, took the legal challenge that resulted in the Belfast High Court judge directing the state to act.

Mr Heaton-Harris outlined the terms of reference by way of a written parliamentary statement on yesterday.

In his 2021 judgment, Judge Horner directly recommended that the UK government carry out an investigation into alleged security failings in the lead-up to the atrocity.

While having no jurisdiction to order the Irish government to act on the matter, the judge nevertheless urged authorities here to establish their own probe in light of his findings.

A number of families of Omagh victims have repeatedly called for an inquiry to also be carried out into the bombing in the Republic of Ireland. Mr Heaton-Harris has also pressed the government to act.

On a visit to Belfast yesterday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin pledged to co-operate with the UK inquiry but said he did not think it made sense to have two inquiries into Omagh on both sides of the Irish border.

Mr Martin stated: ‘Our view is, we’ll see the terms of reference and then we’ll work to ensure that we contribute to that inquiry.’