The single worst failure of security and intelligence
Omagh bomb victim’s dad speaks out ahead of inquiry
THE Omagh bomb inquiry must uncover “uncomfortable truths” to help prevent future disasters, the father of one of the victims said.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed, described it as the “single worst failure of security and intelligence in the history of this state”.
He and other bereaved families have spent decades campaigning for an inquiry into the dissident republican bomb which devastated the Co Tyrone town on August 15, 1998, killing 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
The inquiry will hear opening statements from chair Lord Turnbull and his counsel Paul Greaney at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh tomorrow.
Mr Gallagher said it will be the first time since 1998 that all of the bereaved families, including those caught up in the blast from Spain, will come together.
He took a judicial review of a previous government decision against a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb.
Mr Gallagher added: “It ended up 10 years in court challenging the government, then almost a year before the judge made a judgment and then the Secretary of State ordered the inquiry.
“This was the single worst failure of security and intelligence in the history of this state and we had 31 people dead.
“It is important that what happened in the lead up to and on the day is examined carefully to see what happened.
“I feel that’s the least we owe to the victims – to learn those lessons and pass it on so that others will benefit.
“Hopefully it will not be an explosion, it could be a train crash and plane crash but whatever the emergency, we would be in better shape to deal with that.”
Commemorative and personal statements are set to be made during inquiry hearings next January.
Mr Gallagher said: “Those will take statistics and turn them into real people. It encompassed everybody from grandmothers and grandfathers to unborn children.
“I think that will send a message to people about how important it is that we have answers about what happened.
“It will be extremely difficult and painful for those that decide to share publicly their experience – after the bomb, that was one of the only things people felt they had left, their privacy.
“I think now is the time to put a face to that statistic. It was a real person affected, their family and friends.”
The inquiry was ordered in response to a court judgment that directed the UK to establish a probe.
While having no jurisdiction to order the Government to act, the judge urged authorities to establish their own probe.
I feel that’s the least we owe the victims... to learn those lessons and pass it on MICHAEL GALLAGHER CAMPAIGNER AHEAD OF INQUIRY OPENING TOMORROW