Omagh bomb report snub 'an insult to MPs'

Published on Monday 13 July 2009 22:00

THE government insulted MPs trying to scrutinise a key Omagh bomb report when it denied full access, an influential Commons committee said today.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee expressed disquiet after its chairman was refused the entire findings of Sir Peter Gibson on intercept intelligence about the atrocity which killed 29 people and two unborn babies.

The inquiry concluded the 1998 Real IRA bombing could not have been prevented and that information was not withheld from police.

The Prime Minister has three times turned down the committee's requests for access.

Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and Cabinet Office Minister Tessa Jowell have also refused to let the Committee's chairman, Sir Patrick Cormack, see the review.

Sir Patrick said: "We cannot properly conduct our work in relation to Omagh unless we are fully informed of the facts surrounding the bombing. It really is an insult to the select committee that its chairman should not be allowed to see this report."

The committee published a report, "The Omagh Bombing: Access to Intelligence", to highlight its displeasure at the matter.