The UK Government has ordered an independent inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris made a Commons statement on Thursday confirming he intends to establish the inquiry in response to a court judgment that directed the Government to establish some form of investigation.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the Real IRA bombing, took the legal challenge that resulted in the judge directing the state to act. The dissident republican bomb exploded in the Co Tyrone town on August 15, 1998, killing 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
Hundreds more were injured. Mr Heaton-Harris explained that he had listened to representations of those families affected by the atrocity alongside other factors, including its independence, cost to public purse and how best to “allay wider public concern”.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Heaton-Harris said: “I intend to establish an independent statutory inquiry into the Omagh bombing. I have informed Mr Gallagher and members of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, as well as representatives of Families Moving On of this decision.
“The inquiry will focus specifically on the four grounds which the court held as giving rise to plausible arguments that the bombing could have been prevented. The inquiry will also need to take account of the findings of previous investigations to avoid duplication.”
Mr Heaton-Harris said he accepted this is a “significant” decision. He added that he hoped his decision would give "some comfort" to the families who have "have long campaigned for this outcome".
He told MPs: "I wish to assure the House that this decision has been taken following careful consideration of the facts, the findings of the Supreme Court judgment and the United Kingdom's obligations under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. I hope the decision to establish an independent statutory inquiry gives some comfort to those families who have long campaigned for this outcome. I recognise however, that not all families affected by the bombing desire such further investigation.
"Some have worked hard to process their trauma and to move on with their lives and do not wish to re-examine the past. I hope that the targeted nature of the inquiry to allow it to answer the four points I mentioned earlier will provide the middle ground."
Mr Heaton-Harris said his next steps are now "proceeding to identify a chair for the inquiry" and to "finalise the terms of reference following consultation with the chair".
He went on: "My intention is that the terms of reference will be heavily based on the grounds set out by the court. Further details will be announced in due course but it's my full intention to establish the inquiry as promptly as possible for the investigation to proceed at pace."
Labour shadow Northern Ireland secretary Peter Kyle told the Commons: "We welcome the decision by the Secretary of State that he has made, and the approach that he has taken in putting the victims first in his deliberations. I know that he met with families before Christmas. I know that he promised that he would return personally to tell them whether he would order an inquiry. He has been a man of his word."
He added: "It's important to say that if the inquiry finds shortcomings in how the intelligence was used, it will not change the fact that it was republican terrorists who are ultimately responsible for the lives lost and changed that day. Any Article 2 compliant inquiry should provide the opportunity to learn the lessons that will prevent similar tragedies into the future. The Republic of Ireland now has a moral obligation to start their own investigation."
