Concern expressed that Omagh Bombing Inquiry won’t uncover full truth

By Rebecca Black (PA)

Concern has been expressed that a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb will not be able to uncover the full truth.

Claire Hayes, whose brother Alan Radford, 16, was among the 29 people killed in the dissident republican bomb attack in 1998, said she is very sceptical, with the Irish Government not being a full participant in the proceedings.

The inquiry started four weeks of public commemorative hearings on Tuesday, recalling the lives of and hearing tributes to all those killed and impacted by the Real IRA atrocity.

The probe, led by Scottish judge Lord Turnbull, is examining whether the atrocity could reasonably have been prevented by UK authorities.

The first tributes were paid to Fernando Blasco Baselga, 12, and Rocio Abad Ramos, 23, two Spanish tourists killed in the bombing.

Bereaved families and survivors have gathered at the Strule Arts Centre in the Co Tyrone town for the second day of commemorative hearings which include evidence from Ms Hayes about her brother.

Speaking ahead of the hearing, Ms Hayes said she is sceptical about the outcome of the inquiry.

“I am very sceptical … when the Irish Government isn’t partaking in it, it is not a full inquiry, so … there is already a flaw,” she told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme.

“That doesn’t give me great comfort knowing that given the fact that this bomb was made in the south (of Ireland), the car was stolen in the south.

“The southern Government have said that they will help but they are not compelled to do so, and for me, for Alan, I wanted it to be completely robust, completely transparent, so we know absolutely everything.”

Earlier this week Irish premier Micheal Martin said his Government will co-operate “fully” with the inquiry, while Tanaiste Simon Harris said they “will not be found wanting”.

Lord Turnbull said during his opening statement last year that the inquiry will undertake its task “rigorously and fearlessly”, and emphasised the “defining character of the inquiry must be its independence”.

Later, the inquiry will hear commemorations of three generations of the same family who were killed in the bombing.

Mary Grimes, her daughter Avril Monaghan, who was pregnant with twins, and her daughter Maura Monaghan, who was just 18 months old, died in the attack.

The names of all those killed in the bombing were read out at the inquiry on Tuesday morning before all those assembled were invited to stand for a minute’s silence in remembrance.

The commemorative and personal statement hearings will be heard over the next four weeks.

These will begin with bereaved families giving pen portrait evidence of those who died, followed by survivors, emergency services and those working in statutory organisations.

16-year-old Alan Radford who was killed in the Omagh bombing.