Omagh Bombing Inquiry call to those affected by atrocity

By Alan Rodgers

THE Chairman of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry has said he wants to hear directly from those who were injured, both physically and psychologically, in the 1998 atrocity.

in an open letter, Lord Alan Turnbull, said the figures of 31 lives lost, hundreds of people injured and the significant damage to businsess and property do not truly reveal the damage that the bombing caused and the real life human impact.

He has made the call as the Inquiry prepares to host four weeks of Commemorative and Personal Statement hearings in January and February 2025.

The purpose of the hearings is to commemorate those who were killed in the bombing and also to hear personal statements of people who were affected by the bombing.

“This can include people who were injured, both physically and psychologically, those who responded in formal roles, local businesses or people who witnessed the events,” he said.

“When I opened the Inquiry earlier this year, I said I wanted to hear directly from those most affected by the bombing. Today, I am inviting anyone who wishes to share their experiences with the Inquiry to complete a personal statement on how they were affected by the bombing. All of your experiences are important.”

Lord Turnbull said that there is no obligation for anyone to participate, nor do people need to give oral evidence at the hearings. He added that legal representation is not required to contribute, and the Inquiry team can provide support to anyone who needs help writing a personal statement.

“If you wish to share your experience all you need to do is complete a personal statement form, which is available on the Inquiry website. There are no rules about how you write your statement. It should reflect your own personal experience,” he added.

“Not everyone who submits a personal statement will be asked to provide oral evidence at the Commemorative hearings in January and February, and there will be no obligation to give evidence if you would prefer not to. But I will read every statement, and your experiences will help to inform the direction and approach of the Inquiry.

“I fully understand what a difficult topic this is and the real risk this Inquiry bears in bringing back the trauma ofwhat happened in Omagh in 1998. The Inquiry is also working with WAVE Trauma Centre to provide emotional or wellbeing support for those wishing to engage with the Inquiry.”

Lord Turnbull said that this Inquiry may be the final opportunity to get to the truth of whether the bombing could have been prevented by the UK state. He added that the experiences of those most affected on the day would be invaluable in helping him to do so.