Latest news with #AidenGallagher
Western Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Victims' concern over ‘need to promote narrative of peace' before Omagh bomb
The Omagh Bombing Inquiry also heard concerns that the policing of terrorism in Northern Ireland at the time was not as effective as that in England. 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. Michael Gallagher, the father of Omagh bomb victim Aiden Gallagher, arrives at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh for the Omagh Bombing Inquiry (Liam McBurney/PA) The bomb exploded months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, largely bringing an end to decades of political violence in the region. The inquiry heard a statement from Hugh Southey on behalf of victims represented by solicitor John Fox. They included the families of Aiden Gallagher, Ann McCombe, Fred and Bryan White, Avril and Maura Monaghan, Oran Doherty, Shaun McLaughlin, Jolene Marlow, James Barker, Brian McCrory, Rocio Abad Ramos, Sean McGrath, Geraldine Breslin, Mary Grimes and Esther Gibson, who were all killed in the massacre, as well as several other people who were injured. Mr Southey told the inquiry it was 'possible that politics had an influence on security activities' in 1998. He said: 'In simple terms there is a concern that the need to promote a narrative of peace may have resulted in a light touch being adopted to terrorist activity.' The barrister continued: 'A key issue is whether there was a decision to relax security that was inappropriate and contributed to the bomb. 'There is a linked issue as to whether any flawed decision was political.' Mr Southey said there was a clear desire from his clients for the public inquiry to 'conduct a thorough and comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the Omagh bomb'. He said: 'In a real sense this may be the last opportunity for a cathartic, healing process.' Mr Southey said there was a need for the inquiry to investigate 'differential policing'. He said: 'What I mean by that is was the policing of terrorism in Northern Ireland as effective as that in England? 'Preparedness for warning calls is an aspect of this. Did England have more effective procedures to respond to bomb threats? 'The Army had regularly been called upon during bomb alerts, as it possessed a range of expertise, including bomb disposal expertise. 'However on August 15 1998 they were not deployed into Omagh following warnings being issued.' He added: 'This raises the question of why the Army were not deployed on the day of the bomb and what was the protocol governing their attendance. 'Victims and survivors submit that an aspect of preventability was whether a decision not to deploy the Army was or should have been influenced by intelligence and other material suggesting a threat.'
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Victims' concern over ‘need to promote narrative of peace' before Omagh bomb
The Omagh Bombing Inquiry also heard concerns that the policing of terrorism in Northern Ireland at the time was not as effective as that in England. 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. Michael Gallagher, the father of Omagh bomb victim Aiden Gallagher, arrives at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh for the Omagh Bombing Inquiry (Liam McBurney/PA) The bomb exploded months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, largely bringing an end to decades of political violence in the region. The inquiry heard a statement from Hugh Southey on behalf of victims represented by solicitor John Fox. They included the families of Aiden Gallagher, Ann McCombe, Fred and Bryan White, Avril and Maura Monaghan, Oran Doherty, Shaun McLaughlin, Jolene Marlow, James Barker, Brian McCrory, Rocio Abad Ramos, Sean McGrath, Geraldine Breslin, Mary Grimes and Esther Gibson, who were all killed in the massacre, as well as several other people who were injured. Mr Southey told the inquiry it was 'possible that politics had an influence on security activities' in 1998. He said: 'In simple terms there is a concern that the need to promote a narrative of peace may have resulted in a light touch being adopted to terrorist activity.' The barrister continued: 'A key issue is whether there was a decision to relax security that was inappropriate and contributed to the bomb. 'There is a linked issue as to whether any flawed decision was political.' Mr Southey said there was a clear desire from his clients for the public inquiry to 'conduct a thorough and comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the Omagh bomb'. He said: 'In a real sense this may be the last opportunity for a cathartic, healing process.' Mr Southey said there was a need for the inquiry to investigate 'differential policing'. He said: 'What I mean by that is was the policing of terrorism in Northern Ireland as effective as that in England? 'Preparedness for warning calls is an aspect of this. Did England have more effective procedures to respond to bomb threats? 'The Army had regularly been called upon during bomb alerts, as it possessed a range of expertise, including bomb disposal expertise. 'However on August 15 1998 they were not deployed into Omagh following warnings being issued.' He added: 'This raises the question of why the Army were not deployed on the day of the bomb and what was the protocol governing their attendance. 'Victims and survivors submit that an aspect of preventability was whether a decision not to deploy the Army was or should have been influenced by intelligence and other material suggesting a threat.'
Washington Post
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Baseball Top 10: Battlefield, Bethesda-Chevy Chase join the rankings
April represents the heart of the high school baseball season – the buffer between the early-season adjustment period of March and the promise of the postseason in May. Every local team now has multiple weeks of play under its belt. In the third iteration of these rankings, the top two teams still haven't budged. St. John's and Archbishop Spalding still own the top two spots and look firm in those positions. Both have been nearly unbeatable, grinding through competitive schedules with just singular blemishes on their records. Elsewhere in the Top 10, two undefeated squads enter: No. 7 Battlefield and No. 10 Bethesda-Chevy Chase. Despite its relative inexperience, Battlefield was a state playoff qualifier from Virginia Class 6 last year and looks the part of a contender again after winning its first six games of the season – including a walk-off win against ranked in-state foe Gainesville on March 25. Battlefield is one of four Northern Virginia publics in this week's rankings, a group led by No. 3 McLean – the reigning Virginia Class 6 champion. Madison, now up to No. 4, and No. 9 Gainesville round out the bunch. Bethesda-Chevy Chase, meanwhile, is a riser in a competitive Maryland Class 4A after winning its first seven games. The Barons currently sit atop one of the state's deepest regions. All records through Sunday. The Cadets continued to roll as the area's top team, picking up four conference wins last week after going 3-1 at the IMG Academy National Classic in Florida the week prior. Last ranked: 1 The Cadets continued to roll as the area's top team, picking up four conference wins last week after going 3-1 at the IMG Academy National Classic in Florida the week prior. Last ranked: 1 Spalding won its first three Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association series, scoring at least 11 runs in all three games when it swept Gilman last week. LR: 2 Spalding won its first three Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association series, scoring at least 11 runs in all three games when it swept Gilman last week. LR: 2 McLean hasn't lost since its season opener and is 4-0 in Liberty District play. LR: 4 McLean hasn't lost since its season opener and is 4-0 in Liberty District play. LR: 4 The Warhawks are 1-0 in district play after beating Centreville. Their only loss came in nine innings to Miller School, one of Virginia's top teams. LR: 8 The Warhawks are 1-0 in district play after beating Centreville. Their only loss came in nine innings to Miller School, one of Virginia's top teams. LR: 8 In the first of the Panthers' four wins in three days, James Madison commit Aiden Gallagher threw a 10-strikeout no-hitter against Life Christian Academy. LR: 6 In the first of the Panthers' four wins in three days, James Madison commit Aiden Gallagher threw a 10-strikeout no-hitter against Life Christian Academy. LR: 6 The Warriors took their first loss Thursday against Walter Johnson but bounced back by beating Poolesville. LR: 3 The Warriors took their first loss Thursday against Walter Johnson but bounced back by beating Poolesville. LR: 3 The Little Hoyas have won six of their last seven games, including a pair of conference victories last week against St. Albans. LR: 5 The Little Hoyas have won six of their last seven games, including a pair of conference victories last week against St. Albans. LR: 5 The Bobcats beat Patriot Friday after sophomore Yogi Colangelo hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning. LR: Not ranked The Bobcats beat Patriot Friday after sophomore Yogi Colangelo hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning. LR: Not ranked Gainesville rattled off four straight wins after its walk-off defeat at Battlefield, averaging 13.25 runs per game in that span. LR: 7 Gainesville rattled off four straight wins after its walk-off defeat at Battlefield, averaging 13.25 runs per game in that span. LR: 7 The Barons are the last unbeaten team in Montgomery County. Most recently, they beat rival Whitman, 4-2, and then Blair two days later. LR: NR Dropped out: No. 9 Whitman, No. 10 Bishop O'Connell On the bubble: Bishop O'Connell, Broadneck, DeMatha, Jackson-Reed, Whitman The Barons are the last unbeaten team in Montgomery County. Most recently, they beat rival Whitman, 4-2, and then Blair two days later. LR: NR Dropped out: No. 9 Whitman, No. 10 Bishop O'Connell On the bubble: Bishop O'Connell, Broadneck, DeMatha, Jackson-Reed, Whitman
The Guardian
28-01-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Omagh bombing inquiry: one father's 26-year fight for the truth
The Omagh bombing was the single worst atrocity of the Troubles. As the journalist Shane Harrison explains, it was carried out when hopes were high in Northern Ireland that the country would never experience such violence again – four months after the signing of the Good Friday agreement in April 1998. The car bomb on 15 August killed 29 people, including Aiden Gallagher, a 21-year-old mechanic. Hannah Moore hears from his father, Michael Gallagher, about that day, and about his two-decade legal struggle since: to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice, and to persuade the government to launch a public inquiry into whether anything could have been done to prevent it. There have been years of investigations and allegations about what the authorities knew beforehand – for example that the police ignored crucial tip-offs that something was imminent in Omagh. The Real IRA, a dissident Republican group, claimed responsibility for the bombing, but no one has ever been convicted for it. The campaign for an inquiry has, however, finally, borne fruit. More than 26 years after the attack, a public inquiry will begin on Tuesday to hear from bereaved families and survivors about those, like Michael's son Aiden, who they lost.
