Friday, September 19, 2008
Omagh: the case against a public inquiry
David McKittrick in the Independent with all his authority as the chronicler of individual suffering in the Troubles throws cold water on the case for a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb.
“For just as there are few moral absolutes in Northern Ireland, so the Omagh families have no absolute right to have the final say on what should happen in the justice system.This is a difficult and painful thing to articulate, given the terrible suffering these people continue to endure.”
Questions about the cost-effectiveness of the Bloody Sunday inquiry and some of the Cory inquires are alluded to, as well they might be . But he adds:
“Gordon Brown’s establishment of a review of the Panorama revelations was a sure sign that security agencies have a case to answer. It may also have been a device to ward off the calls for a full public inquiry. Governments have a reflex against setting up such inquiries, not least because, in cases like this, it is pretty obvious they will turn up damaging revelations about a secret world which functioned with little accountability.”
Another case against the families’ call for a public inquiry succeeding is the belief shared significantly by Lord Saville. that the post-Saville Inquires Act 2005 jeopardises an inquiry’s independence by giving the government the right to limit its timescale and costs. While the Hamill inquiry is being held under that Act the even higher profile of the Omagh case would be bound to highlight the act’s perceived flaws.
“Omagh may well hold more secrets that could undermine the new political system,” says McKittiick.
Maybe, David knows much more than I do, but this seems less likely than some cases, as no group associated with the system was allegedly involved – although their names may well have been known to the leading lights of today’s Sinn Fein ministers. Any secret talks between governments and C- or R- IRA in 1998, after secret talks had been so much a feature of the peace process, would seem unlikely to rock the system ten years on. Perhaps Omagh would link to a chain of collusion in the SB’s habits that remains unexplored in the Finucane and other cases, but on the face of it, it doesn’t seem a likely prime example. And after Stakeknife, and the Stephens inquiries, are there any real shocks left? I still have hopes that a credible reply from GCHQ would unlock more of the truth, if not now, later. In the meantime, is it really beyond the majesty of the law to postpone the families’ civil action for a few months?
Quote from Omagh families’ spokesman Michael Gallagher: “We welcome the swiftness with which the Government has moved on this.
It is indicated that this will take up to three months. We feel that the civil action now taking place, which will be over by that time, is the best possible way of using any intelligence or evidence gleaned from that.”
Brian Walker @ 12:42 PM
As for the McDonald article you linked, susan, and I have seen before, it should be noted that he put all the onus of failing to stop the bombers upon the gardai - a most convenient one for the UK officials.
And I have found that Nuzhound is leaving out too many links these days - e. g., today’s article by Suzanne Breen.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 02:34 PM“with cooperation from both governments.”
Three premiers have already been named, Susan - Ahern, Blair and Clinton - but don’t expect it to be as simple as ABC. The monitoring system used may have been ECHELON.
I’ve previously suggested that perhaps an EU agency could conduct an inquiry.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 03:31 PMNevin, who would you like to see conduct an inquiry, in terms of having full confidence? I only ask because I’m at a loss.
I linked the 2003 McDonald article because I believe it may be relevant to why the Irish gov’t is not yet screaming for the release of the recordings.
Breen’s other piece in today’s Tribune outlines the families’ disappointment with the “deafening silence” from the Irish gov’t in light of the Panorama revelations.
Trimble has called for the release of the recordings, Attwood has called for the release of the recordings, SF has supported claims for a full inquiry. But as Michael Gallagher, who lost his son Aidan, told the Tribune:
“If the Irish government had any backbone, it would be raising the matter with the British,” Gallagher said. “Three Irish citizens died in the bomb. Brian Cowen should be seeking an urgent meeting with the British prime minister and demanding answers.
“If China or Russia apparently failed to stop a bomb which killed British citizens, there would be an international crisis. The Irish government is shirking its responsibility.”
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 03:37 PMThe link to the second Breen piece in the Tribune:
http://www.tribune.ie/article/2008/sep/21/relatives-of-omagh-victims-angry-over-dublin-silen/
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 03:41 PMI’m at a loss too, Susan.
The IMC is a body put together by the British and Irish governments in collaboration with the American one yet its independence IMO has been suspect for quite a long time now.
I’ve got a letter signed by Sir Patrick Mayhew which asserts that exchanges between two governments are in secret ie they’re not subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The MSM has done little to inform us about these intergovernmental workings.
If I’m right about ECHELON then there may well be agreed protocols which restrict release of information without the agreement of all of the parties to the protocols.
I’ve suggested an EU agency but perhaps there isn’t one that the three governments would be prepared to work with.
Alex Reid and Martin Mansergh AFAIK had been in talks with the RIRA leadership during the bomb attacks so any deals done with PIRA et al might also be revealed during the course of in-depth investigations. There may be too many skeletons in too many cupboards, as well as too many cross-linkages, for the the truth to be established.
I’ve just posted another ‘incomplete’ story on NALIL that impacted on the security and intelligence services. I’m convinced, in that instance, that a lot of effort went into scape-goating the innocent.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 04:08 PMNevin, thank you.
Sometimes I am at a loss for words, and this is just one of those times.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 05:37 PMSusan, there’s a second Breen article online; it’s front page:
Relatives of Omagh victims angry over Dublin ‘silence’.
There are still too many of the jig-saw pieces missing.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 05:53 PMYes, Nevin, thanks—I linked Breen’s second story in Post 4, page 2 of this thread.
I’m glad Brian Walker has started a new thread and remains following the story. I do hope, as well, though, that both of Breen’s pieces today find a wider readership and more of the MSM again focus on what the families themselves are saying.
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 06:26 PMI missed your link to the second item, Susan :(
Sadly, I suspect Brian is still trying to hang onto his chain metaphor ...
Posted by on Sep 21, 2008 @ 06:47 PM
