20.1.05

BBC

Call to publish Omagh bomb report


Twenty nine people died in the Real IRA attack

A report into allegations that Irish police failed to pass on information about the Omagh bombing should be made public, politicians have said.

Pat Rabbitte, the leader of the Labour Party in the Irish Republic, called on Justice Minister Michael McDowell to publish the Nally report as promised.

The calls follows the collapse of a trial in Donegal of a Garda officer who made the allegations of inaction.

The Omagh bombing in 1998 killed 29 people and unborn twins.

Prosecution witness

Earlier this week, Detective Sergeant John White from Ballybofey in County Donegal, was acquitted of six charges of making false statements and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Circuit Court judge Sean O'Donovan directed the jury in Letterkenny that Mr White should be found not guilty because of inconsistencies in the evidence of the main prosecution witness.

The detective had claimed a Real IRA informer warned him before the 1998 attack about a car which was to be used in a bombing.

Mr White said he passed on the warning to a senior Garda officer but it was not conveyed to the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan investigated Mr White's claim, passing her findings on to former Foreign Minister Brian Cowen.

The Irish Government appointed a team to investigate his allegations which was headed by retired civil servant Dermot Nally.

In December 2003, Justice Minister Michael McDowell told the Irish parliament that the Nally Report had found no evidence to support any of the claims. The Irish Government has been criticised for not publishing the Nally Report.

Mr Rabbitte said: "This acquittal has major consequences for public confidence in the integrity of the Garda Siochana.

"It is now time for Minister McDowell to deliver on his earlier commitment and to make public a version of the Nally Report, edited with a view to preserving proper confidentiality on issues of state security, on the allegations made by Det Sgt White."

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