Government redaction bid ‘putting a brake on disclosure', Omagh bomb inquiry hears
A application by the UK Government to redact names from documents is "putting a brake" on the work of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, it's been claimed.
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ITV News
22-05-2025
- ITV News
Government asked to detail risk of naming civil servants' in Omagh inquiry after proposed redaction
The Government has been asked to urgently inform the Omagh Bombing Inquiry if any civil servants have been put at risk because their names are on documents given to the probe. The inquiry has been sitting in Belfast to hear a government application for the identities of junior civil servants to be blanked emerged that 700 documents containing up to 8000 pages can't be disclosed to other participants due to issues surrounding redactions. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Bereaved families and their legal representatives have expressed their opposition to any redactions as they believe it may block getting the answers they want. Michael Gallagher, who's son Aiden was killed in the 1998 said: "The Secretary of State is a core participant as I am, and this is an independent public inquiry. That means independent of government. "So he should be assisting the inquiry, as should the other core participants like ourselves and not redacting and restricting the information to the families. "This was really a fight for the truth and the truth is always worth fighting for." Counsel for the inquiry Paul Greaney KC said redactions are slowing the legal process down: "The need to resolve the issues of redaction has, as an objective fact, placed a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry." A barrister for the Secretary of State had argued that unredacted names of junior civil servants put some in danger of attack by dissident republicans. Counsel for the inquiry is objecting to blanket redactions, but says it must be informed if anyone is at risk"And they must tell us immediately, by which we mean early next week at the latest, if there is any such case. "And identifying which document any such person is named so that the issue can be addressed." The PSNI made submissions suggesting that the names of suspects in the bombing and other linked attacks who were never charged be redacted, but police didn't make a formal application. Inquiry chairman Lord Turnbull said that can be dealt with on a case by case basis. After a ruling on the redaction issue is heard, the inquiry will return to Omagh next month to hear opening statements from core participants.
Belfast Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Government approach to Omagh bomb hearing ‘risks undermining public confidence'
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC told a hearing in Belfast that it was 'highly unfortunate' that legal papers relating to the redaction of names were received on the evening before the public session. Mr Greaney also said that as the hearings related to transparency, he would have thought the Government 'would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair'. The hearing was told that applications from the Government and the PSNI to redact names of junior civil servants and bombing suspects from documents released to core participants in the inquiry is 'putting a brake' on its work. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is holding procedural hearings in Belfast which relate to submissions to redact information from materials. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. On Wednesday, Mr Greaney said there were two issues which the latest hearings would deal with. The first relates to a Government submission that the names of junior civil servants should be redacted from documents they provide before they are released to core participants. The second relates to a PSNI application to redact the names of suspects who have not been charged from documents. The barrister said the inquiry would see the documents in unredacted form but the issue was whether they should be redacted before they are given to core participants. Core participants in the inquiry include the families of those who were killed in the bombing as well as multiple people who were injured. He said the issue of whether the names would be disclosed unredacted during oral evidence hearings would be dealt with at a future point. He said: 'The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry.' Setting out the background, Mr Greaney said the inquiry legal team had written earlier this year to the Government, asking it to make any applications for redaction by March 14. He said: 'Even at that early stage, in March of this year, as many as 80 documents were having to be withheld from disclosure.' The barrister said the Government made an initial application on March 31, then withdrew it and made a revised application for redactions of the names of junior civil servants on April 15. He said the inquiry's legal team proceeded on the basis that this was the Government's position. Mr Greaney added: 'It was therefore with considerable surprise and some frustration that at 4pm on 20th May, so yesterday and therefore the day before the hearing was scheduled to start, and moreover in circumstances in which we suggest it ought to have been anticipated that members of the inquiry legal team and the chairman and indeed core participants and their representatives would be travelling to Belfast, in those circumstances a skeleton argument was emailed to the inquiry legal team by the Crown Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office. 'The inquiry legal team regard the unexpected service of a skeleton argument at such a late stage as highly unfortunate.' He added: 'This inquiry is about whether the Omagh bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities. It is also notable this hearing concerns issues that could be described as ones involving transparency. 'It might be thought that HMG would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair. 'It seems to the inquiry legal team a risk that the approach taken by HMG to this hearing will undermine public confidence in HMG's approach to this inquiry.' The barrister said there had seemed to be 'a chaotic rush to provide materials at the very last minute'. Lord Turnbull will hear legal submissions from a number of interested parties on Wednesday and Thursday.
Belfast Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Government redaction bid ‘putting a brake on disclosure', Omagh bomb inquiry hears
A application by the UK Government to redact names from documents is "putting a brake" on the work of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, it's been claimed.
