Call for new Omagh inquiry

Twenty-nine people died in the Omagh bombing in August 1998

A man whose 12-year-old son died in the Omagh bomb has called for a new independent inquiry in the Irish Republic.

Victor Barker whose son, James, died in the explosion, said on Monday that relatives of those who were killed needed to be "given the truth, once and for all".

Twenty-nine people including a woman pregnant with unborn twins died in the car bomb attack in the County Tyrone town in 1998 which was the single worst atrocity in 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland.

"What we need to see, ultimately, is a fair and independent inquiry, not an inquiry set up by the taoiseach where the three members of the inquiry are linked closely to government," Mr Barker said.

"We need to have a full independent inquiry into the allegations so that the relatives can understand and be given the truth, once and for all, and that is the most important thing."

Nally report

Mr Barker is due to meet the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, in December and will raise the fact that the Nally Report, set up by the Irish government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the bombing, has not been made public.

In October, Mr Barker was among relatives of the Omagh bomb victims who addressed a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

He also met the real IRA's political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, in Swords, County Dublin, last December.

To date, only one person, Colm Murphy, has been jailed for having a role in the bomb.

In January 2002 the Special Criminal Court in Dublin sentenced the Dundalk-based builder and publican to 14 years in jail.

Some Omagh relatives have launched a civil action against five people who they believe were involved and are suing them for £10m in damages.

In August, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy announced that the government would provide £800,000 towards the legal costs of the civil action.