Elizabeth Platt ([email protected])
Sun, 29 Nov 1998 16:49:31 -0800 (PST)
New video evidence in bomb hunt
We're closing in says police chief
by Gary Grattan
THE DEVASTATED town of Omagh received a welcome double dose of good
news today.
It has emerged that police are studying vital new video evidence which
could catch the bombers.
And at the same time a huge cash injection of more than �600,000 has
been made to the Omagh appeal fund.
RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan revealed the net was rapidly
closing in on the Real IRA gang behind the outrage.
It has emerged that vital evidence in the form of video footage has
been obtained in connection with the car used by the bombers.
The car bomb exploded without warning in the town on August 15 -
killing 29 people and injuring another 300. It was Northern Ireland's
worst terrorist outrage.
Supported by their colleagues in the Republic, the team of crack RUC
detectives working on the case are increasingly confident of a
significant breakthrough.
Mr Flanagan today had this message for the bombers: "We are more close
to knowing the identity of the people who make up this team. What we
need is evidence to bring those people before the courts.
"We are moving rapidly towards a position of having the necessary
evidence. So if people think up to this point that they have escaped
or evaded justice, they should take no comfort in that."In the three
months since the investigation was launched, almost 4,000 people have
been interviewed by 30 detectives.
Evidence has tied the attack more closely with the Real IRA figures in
south Armagh.
The red Vauxhall Cavalier car which carried the bomb was seen in
Culloville and Crossmaglen shortly before the attack.
Detective Chief Superintendent Eric Anderson, who is in charge of the
RUC investigation, choked back tears at a press conference last week
as he described the devastating effect of the case on his officers.
Meanwhile, the bomb victims' fund has received a massive boost -
courtesy of Gay Byrne's Late Late Show on RTE.
An emotionally-charged, star-studded spectacular last week - featuring
U2, the Corrs, Bob Geldof, the Taoiseach and President Mary McAleese
among others - raised a staggering �620,000.
Revealing the outstanding figure last night, Gay Byrne said:
"Considering we were up against Children in Need and a myriad of other
good causes, it's a fantastic achievement."The fund total stood at
around �860,000 before the Late Late Show injection.
It is set for another boost when some of the biggest names in Irish
music - including Arty McGlynn, Liam O'Flynn, De Dannan and Altan -
play a concert to the 7,000-strong Irish community in Brussels on
Monday.
And further cash will pour in from the special tribute album featuring
a host of artists such as Boyzone, Van Morrison and U2, which has just
hit the shops.
Copyright Belfast Telegraph Newspapers Ltd.
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