By Matt Mulley - 18th March 2010
Parliamentary researcher Matt Mulley writes for ePolitix.com following the publication of the Northern Ireland affairs committee report on the impact of the Omagh bombing.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee published its report on Tuesday examining the continuing impact of the Omagh bombing of 15 August 1998.
The committee called for a new investigation into whether intelligence relating to those suspected of the bombing was passed on to the detectives investigating it.
It concluded that questions remain about whether the bombing could have been prevented if the security services had acted against terrorists responsible for bombings earlier in 1998.
Committee chairman Sir Patrick Cormack said: "Far too many questions remain unanswered. The criminal justice system has failed to bring to justice those responsible for the Omagh bombing. The least that those who were bereaved or injured have the right to expect are answers to those questions."
The attack took place four months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed on 10 April 1998.
A 500lb car bomb exploded in Market Street, Omagh, killing 29 people and two unborn children, and injuring hundreds more.
Although the dissident Real IRA claimed responsibility for the attack, nobody has been convicted.
Two men have been tried and acquitted on offences related to the bombing - Colm Murphy, tried in Dublin in 2002 and retried earlier this year; and Sean Hoey, tried in Northern Ireland in 2007.
The select committee inquiry focused on Sir Peter Gibson's review into the use of intelligence intercept information. Sir Peter, the Intelligence Services Commissioner, reported to the prime minister at Christmas 2008.
The committee also took evidence from journalists, PSNI senior officers and representatives of the victims and their families.
The committee has criticised the prime minister for refusing Sir Patrick, access to the full contents of Sir Peter’s review of how intercept intelligence gathered by GCHQ was used by Special Branch.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd