Calls grow for Omagh public inquiry

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The Omagh bombing on August 15 1998 was the worst single atrocity of the Troubles and killed 29 people and unborn twins, but now a new documentary claims details of the mobile calls were not passed to investigators.

The new allegations that Britain's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ recorded the bombers' conversations comes shortly after the tenth anniversary of the bombing and has sparked fresh calls from bereaved relatives for a full inquiry.

The BBC's Panorama programme will on Monday broadcast its finding that calls made by bombers from the anti-peace process `Real IRA' group were recorded as they drove into the Co Tyrone town.

Relatives who have had early access to the programme's research insisted the Government must now grant their long-standing demands for a full inquiry.

Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the bombing and who now chairs the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, said: "We have been demanding a public inquiry since 2002 into the abysmal failure of the police inquiries.

"In all conscience the Government can no longer resist this."

Reacting to the news, the former Northern Ireland police ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, said: "There are a very limited number of access routes to Omagh town. And if they came to the view that that was where a device was being taken, it would seem to me there could have been roadblocks set up.

"Roadblocks in the past have had the effect of deterring people who would have planted bombs.

"They would have seen this and would have just abandoned the bombs by the roadside."