Omagh families: 'We feel let down'

The families want to meet both governments

The relatives of Omagh bomb victims have told Home Secretary David Blunkett they feel let down by assurances that the British and Irish governments are working together to catch the killers.

Victor Barker, who lost his 12-year-old son James in the atrocity, said he believed so-called co-operation between the two governments and the police to bring the Real IRA suspects to justice "was a lie".

Such unfounded allegations would be a source of anxiety to any relative of those tragically killed and those injured

Garda Siochana

The families spent half an hour outlining their grievances.

They centre on claims that the Irish Special Branch failed to pass on intelligence to relevant authorities in Northern Ireland which could have prevented the Omagh attack.

But Irish police have described the suggestion as "ludicrous" and in a statement on Thursday, the Garda Siochana said the allegations were unfounded.

Twenty-nine people, including children and a pregnant woman, died and more than 200 people were injured in the dissident republican bombing of the County Tyrone town in August 1998.

British/Irish meeting call

The families told the home secretary that a serving detective sergeant in the Garda had supplied them with crucial information relating to the bombing.

It says that police knew that an active terrorist unit was trying to acquire a car in which to plant a bomb in Northern Ireland, just four days before the Omagh attack, they said.

The Omagh bomb left 29 people dead

It is claimed this intelligence was not passed on to the then Royal Ulster Constabulary.

The families now want a meeting with both governments.

Commenting on the detective's information after the meeting, Mr Barker, of Weybridge, Surrey, said: "What he had to say made a mockery of the apparent commitment to co-operation of both governments.

'Evil people'

"We now believe that this was a lie and we in the communities north and south have been deceived," he said.

"Significant action and leadership is now required from both governments if we, the people of both communities, 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 Barker was meeting Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid on Thursday to pursue the group's demand.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed at Omagh, said Mr Blunkett had "just listened" to the group

'Not independent'

"You could see that he was moved by what we had to say, but he didn't comment in any way," he said.

"The government is now aware of our position. It's now up to them to prove to us that they can do something about it."

A panel of three former senior civil servants has been set up in the Republic to examine allegations about the Omagh bomb investigation.

But Kevin Skelton, whose wife was killed, said: "You are going to get the answers that suit the Garda down south, it's not independent at all," he said.

Nuala O'Loan: Met Irish foreign affairs minister

On Wednesday, Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan met Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen to discuss the claims.

A statement from the ombudsman's office said information had come from a Garda officer about events leading up to the atrocity.

It said the material related to matters in the Republic of Ireland and had been passed to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.

The Republic's justice minister, John O'Donoghue, said he had been assured by the Garda Commissioner there was no basis for suggesting the Gardai had information which could have prevented the Omagh attack.

He said the officer at the centre of the claims was on suspension from the force pending the outcome of a tribunal into a Co Donegal corruption scandal.

'Tragically killed'

In its statement on Thursday, the Garda Siochana said it and the Police Service of Northern Ireland "had and continue to have an excellent working protocol in all areas of law enforcement".

It added: "The allegations made have no substance and appear to emanate from mischievous sources.

Only one person in the Republic of Ireland - Colm Murphy - has been convicted in connection with the bombing.