People who have been questioned by the RUC over the Omagh bombing are to be named in a BBC television programme. The Panorama programme, which will be shown next Monday, has uncovered documents and has secretly filmed the suspects in an investigation lasting several months.
The BBC said that the decision to name the suspects was made after carefully considering the legal implications, and it added it hopes the programme will result in new evidence coming to light. The bombing by the Real IRA killed 29 people including a pregnant woman in the County Tyrone town just over two years ago. The RUC and the Gardaí have interviewed a total of 87 people about the bombing, but to date only one person has been charged in connection with the blast.
The coroner conducting the Omagh inquests yesterday laid full responsibility for the bombing at the feet of the Real IRA team that carried out the attack. Delivering his findings at the conclusion of all but one of the inquests, John Leckey said that a chapter in the story may now be closing, but a criminal trial and convictions would be necessary to close the book. He said that the bomb warnings given by the Real IRA were inaccurate and misleading, and the self-serving statement they issued afterwards had been shown to be untrue.
