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Omagh bombing

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Omagh bombing
The red Vauxhall Cavalier sedan containing the bomb. This photo was taken shortly before the explosion; the camera was found afterwards in the rubble.[1].
LocationOmagh, Northern Ireland
DateAugust 15, 1998
TargetCourthouse[2]
Attack type
Car bomb
Deaths29[3][4][5]
InjuredAbout 220 initially reported, later stories say over 300[3]
PerpetratorsThe Real IRA or RIRA[3][5][4]

The Omagh bombing was a paramilitary car bomb attack carried out by the Real IRA (RIRA), a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Belfast Agreement, on August 15, 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.[6] Twenty-nine people died as a result of the attack,[3][5][4] including one woman who was pregnant with twins, and approximately 220 people were injured.[7] The attack was described by the BBC and as "Northern Ireland's worst single terrorist atrocity" and by British Prime Minister Tony Blair as an "appalling act of savagery and evil".[8][9] Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams[10] and Martin McGuinness[11] vehemently condemned the attack and the RIRA itself.[12]

The victims included people from many different backgrounds- both Protestants and Catholics, nine children,[11] and also two Spanish tourists as well as with other tourists on a day trip from the Republic of Ireland.[13] The nature of the bombing created a strong international[3] and local[10] outcry against the RIRA, which later forced the organization to apologize,[10][14] and spurred on the Northern Ireland peace process.[3][10] In 2001, County Louth builder and publican Colm Murphy was convicted in connection to the bombing.[11] He is currently awaiting a Court of Criminal Appeal ordered retrial.[11] Murphy's nephew Sean Hoey of Jonesborough, South Armagh was released on December 20, 2007 after spending four years in prision.[4] The families of those killed have stated that they will continue with a High Court civil action for £14 million against the two men and three others whom they say were responsible for the attack.[4] The head of the RIRA itself, Michael McKevitt, was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to 20 years in jail.[3]

Chronology

  • The Vauxhall Cavalier carrying the bomb was parked outside a clothes shop on Omagh's Market Street at 14:00. It had been stolen in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan a week before; it then had its Republic of Ireland number plates replaced with Northern Ireland plates. The driver and another occupant left the car and walked down Campsie Road.
  • At 14:32 the first warning was received by an employee of UTV in Belfast. After passing the information to the RUC, the employee received another warning one minute later. Another minute later a warning was given to the Coleraine office of the Samaritans.
  • At 15:10 the bomb detonated.

Warnings

On the day of the bombing, three warnings were recorded and reported:

Received by Ulster Television at 14:32

"There's a bomb, courthouse, Omagh, main street, 500 pounds, explosion 30 minutes."

Received by Ulster Television at 14:33

"Bomb, Omagh town, 15 minutes."

Received by the Coleraine office of the 'Samaritans' charity at 14:34

"Am I through to Omagh? This is a bomb warning. It's going to go off in 30 minutes." The caller then stated the bomb was placed on Main Street, 200 yards (200 m) from the courthouse.[15]

There has been considerable debate about the subject of these warnings; the tapes of some warnings have not been released to the public, and some information about the location of the bomb may have been recorded incorrectly or ignored. One warning mentioned that the bomb was 200 yards (200 m) away from the courthouse, the actual bombing was between 300-400 yards from the Courthouse.

Responsibility

After the attack the Real IRA claimed responsibility and apologised for bombing the courthouse at Omagh[14] and on 14 December 2001 released a statement claiming the organisation had "minimal involvement" and that two MI5 agents were largely responsible for the bombing.[16]

The BBC's Panorama programme, Who Bombed Omagh?, shown in 2000, gave the names of the prime suspects as Séamus McKenna, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy, and Seamus Daly. Police believe that the bombing of BBC Television Centre in London was a revenge attack for the broadcast.[17]

Builder and publican Colm Murphy, from County Louth, was charged and convicted in 2001 by the Republic's Special Criminal Court for "conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause injury". He was sentenced to fourteen years. In January 2005, Murphy's conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal, on the grounds that two Gardaí had falsified interview notes, and that Murphy's previous convictions were improperly taken into account by the trial judges.[18]

Many of the others were later sued in a civil action by the relatives of people killed in the bombing, including the families of James Barker, 12, Samantha McFarland, 17, Lorraine Wilson, 15, and 20-month-old Breda Devine.

Wikinews has related news:

On September 6, 2006 Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, County Armagh went on trial accused of 29 counts of murder, as well as terrorism and explosives charges.[19] Hoey's trial has been completed and, on 20 December 2007, he was found not guilty of all 56 charges against him.[20]

Police Ombudsman report

The Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, strongly criticised the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC, now the Police Service of Northern Ireland) over their handling of the investigation. Her report stated that RUC officers had ignored previous warnings about a bomb and had failed to act on crucial intelligence. She went on to say that officers had been uncooperative and defensive during her inquiry into the investigation. RUC officers had been seen moving people towards the bomb, which they claimed was because the warnings had been for the Courthouse.[21] On 24 February, 2006, it was alleged that an agent paid by MI5 and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, knew of the plan to bomb Omagh, but that MI5 never passed this information to police.[22] In 2006 Hugh Orde stated that the senior officer in charge of the case believed that MI5 did not withhold information.[23]

The Mirror report that initially, the Police Association, which represents senior officers and rank and file members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), went to court to try to block the release of the O'Loan report, but dropped their efforts after being given more time to review the report before its release to the public.

However Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan stated that the multiple warnings were given to cause confusion and ultimately a greater loss of life.[24]

Victims' support group

The families of the victims of the bomb created the Omagh Support and Self Help Group after the bombing. Their website provides newsletters, references and news archives regarding the bombing. The group also provides support to victims of other bombings in Ireland, as well other terrorist bombings, such as the 2004 Madrid train bombings.[25]

Memorials

The bombing inspired the song "Paper Sun", by rock group Def Leppard, as noted in the commentary of their album Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection.

Another song inspired by the bombings was "Peace on Earth", by rock group U2, and includes the line "They're reading names out over the radio. All the folks the rest of us won't get to know. Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann, and Breda." The 5 names mentioned are five of the victims from this attack. Another Line, "She never got to say goodbye, To see the colour in his eyes, now he's in the dirt", was about how James Barker, a victim, was remembered by his mother Donna Maria Barker in an article in the Irish Times after the bombing in Omagh.

Omagh maintains a memorial garden in the town centre, however, a memorial stone is still to be erected.[26]

See also

  • Omagh, a 2004 TV movie dealing with the bombing

Notes

  1. ^ Omagh Bomb: Before the Bomb — 15 August, 1998
  2. ^ John Mooney and Michael O'Toole (2004). Black Operations: The Secret War Against the Real IRA. Maverick House. pp. pp211–2. ISBN 0-9542945-9-9. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Man cleared over Omagh bombing". CNN.com. Published December 20, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Man cleared of Omagh bombing". The Independent. Published December 20, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c "Nine years on, the only Omagh bombing suspect is free" The Times. Published December 21, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  6. ^ "Bomb Atrocity Rocks Northern Ireland". BBC News. 1998-08-16. Retrieved 2007-09-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Omagh bombing kills 28". BBC News. 1998-08-16. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Bravery awards for bomb helpers". BBC News. 1999-11-17. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ The Omagh Bomb - Main Events
  10. ^ a b c d A BLAST OF EVIL. The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Initally broadcast August 19, 1998.
  11. ^ a b c d "Omagh: Northern Ireland's Blackest Day". Sky News. Published December 20, 2007.
  12. ^ "Sinn Fein condemnation 'unequivocal'". BBC. Published August 16, 1998. Accessed January 9, 2008.
  13. ^ http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/omagh/introduction.html
  14. ^ a b Real IRA apologises for Omagh bomb. BBC. Published August 18, 1998.
  15. ^ Omagh bomb warnings released, BBC News
  16. ^ 14 December 2001 Real IRA Statement in Full
  17. ^ Ealing Bomb: The Real IRA, Independent 4 August, 2001
  18. ^ "Relatives disappointed with Omagh ruling". RTÉ News. 2005-01-21. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Sickness halts Omagh trial". The Guardian. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "Man not guilty of Omagh murders". BBC News Online. 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2007-12-20. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Statement by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland on her Investigation of matters relating to the Omagh Bomb on August 15, 1998" (PDF). 2001-12-12. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ "MI5 withheld intelligence ahead of Omagh". RTÉ News. 2006-02-24. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ MI5 "did not retain Omagh advice" BBC News
  24. ^ Johnston, Wesley. "Appendix B: Police Press Releases on the Omagh Bomb". Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  25. ^ Omagh Support and Self Help Group
  26. ^ BBC News
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