The families of those murdered in the 1998 Real IRA bomb massacre in Omagh have demanded an inquiry into claims made yesterday by a Garda sergeant that his commanders ignored a prior warning of the worst atrocity of the Northern Ireland
Troubles so they could protect an informer.
The claims have been made by Donegal Garda Detective Sergeant John White, who said his commanders ignored a pre-warning of a bomb attack to protect informer Paddy Dixon.
Mr White said yesterday that his informer, Dubliner Paddy Dixon, a car thief, h
ad told him there was going to be a major bomb attack in the province before it happened.
Mr White said yesterday: "On July 25, 1998 I went to a senior officer in the Garda Siochana and told him that Paddy Dixon had told me there was going to be a Real IRA bomb attack within two weeks in Northern Ireland. I never alleged Dixon knew the precise location of the target. But I repeat again that I will stand up in any future public inquiry and tell the world that I was told by a senior officer to let the bomb through in order to maintain Dixon's credibility with the Real IRA."
Yesterday the families of the 29 men, women and children who perished said they were 100 per cent behind Mr White and claimed that a report leaked on Saturday in Dublin – which said an Irish government inquiry into his claims found Dixon had no prior knowledge of the planned attack on Omagh – was an attempt to "blacken" the Detective Sergeant's name.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the August afternoon bombing, yesterday demanded an urgent meeting with the Republic of Ireland's Justice Minister Michael McDowell to discuss the matter.
Yesterday Mr Gallagher said: " We have got to get to the truth about Omagh and we are absolutely calling for a cross-border, independent public inquiry.
"It's what we need to seriously test John White's disturbing allegations. We need to know if the governments are trying to hide something and we are calling for an early meeting with Justice Minister Michael McDowell and awaiting a meeting we have requested with Secretary of State Peter Hain."
Mr Gallagher believes the Garda informer Paddy Dixon, who is now living abroad under a witness protection scheme, should be questioned by any inquiry team.
"Paddy Dixon is a key part of it all. As regards this latest government report the families have not seen it and yet a Dublin journalist was able to quote from it chapter and verse. It is an absolute scandal the way that the Omagh families have been treated, " said Mr Gallagher.
