'Real prospect' the Omagh bombing could have been prevented, judge rules

‘Real prospect’ the Omagh bombing could have been prevented, judge rules

There was a “real prospect” that the Omagh bombing could have been prevented, a judge has ruled.

Delivering his judgment at Belfast High Court, Mr Justice Horner also urged both the British and Irish governments to investigate the atrocity in August 1998.

He said it was necessary to examine whether a more “proactive” security approach against dissident republican terrorists in the lead-up to the bombing might have thwarted it.

Carried out by the Real IRA, it was the worst event during Northern Ireland’s Troubles. A pregnant woman carrying twins was among 29 people killed in the town, 68 miles west of Belfast.

The judge was responding to a judicial review brought eight years ago by Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the blast.

Mr Gallagher took action in response to the UK government’s refusal to order a public inquiry into security failings prior to the bombing.

“I am satisfied that certain grounds when considered separately or together give rise to plausible allegations that there was a real prospect of preventing the Omagh bombing,” the judge said.

“These grounds involve, inter alia, the consideration of terrorist activity on both sides of the border by prominent dissident terrorist republicans leading up to the Omagh bomb.

“I am therefore satisfied that the threshold under Article 2 ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) to require the investigation of those allegations has been reached.”

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