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Omagh bombing inquiry told there was a fair chance the attack could have been prevented
Overview
A senior police officer appointed to scrutinise the Omagh bombing investigation has told an inquiry that proper adherence to procedures and linking previous attacks could have given a 'fair chance' of preventing the 1998 bombing. Merseyside DCC Michael Tonge QPM highlighted significant issues with untrained staff, data system misuse, and failure to connect a pattern of dissident republican attacks. Additionally, former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan gave evidence regarding a previously unseen warning note and past police responses.
Key points
- Merseyside DCC Michael Tonge QPM told the Omagh bombing inquiry there was a 'fair chance' the attack could have been prevented if procedures had been followed correctly.
- Tonge stated he was shocked by the state of the investigation when he arrived in 2002, noting failures to link previous 1998 dissident republican attacks.
- The inquiry heard that the HOLMES data recording system suffered from non-compliance with administrative procedures, role corruption, and untrained staff.
- Former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan testified about a newly revealed handwritten warning document from Finner army camp that she had never been told about.
- Baroness O'Loan also defended her previous criticisms of police handling of warning calls, producing contemporaneous handwritten notes to support her recollection.