Omagh Bombing Inquiry: Irish Army Received Warning Day Before Attack
An inquiry was told that a warning call was received by the Irish army a day before the Omagh bombing in 1998, while RUC and An Garda Síochána intelligence sharing was described as lacking collaboration.
An inquiry into the Omagh bombing has heard that the Irish army received a warning call the day before the attack, which killed 29 people and injured hundreds more. The warning was reportedly received on August 14, 1998, at Finner Camp near Ballyshannon, County Donegal.
During his testimony, an individual identified as Ware stated that the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the Garda Síochána, Ireland's national police force, did not routinely share information related to the bombing. He described the information flow as "much more an inquiry that was operating in parallel rather than in collaboration."
A disagreement also arose between the two police forces over the sharing of photographs of approximately 60 suspects compiled by the Gardaí. Ware recounted that the Gardaí, who had "penetrated the dissidents quite well," were hesitant to compromise their sources and therefore unwilling to share the suspect profiles, leading to "a bit of a row about that."
Ware further characterized the Gardaí as "very strict" regarding intelligence sharing, noting "a culture of control permeating" the force. He also cited notes from a senior RUC figure who indicated that extra resources were on standby in anticipation of a bombing following the attack in Banbridge. The assessment at the time was that any subsequent attack would likely target the same Newry corridor as previous incidents in Lisburn, Newry, and Banbridge. Security was heightened along the border in the south Armagh, north Louth area the following day, but not as far west as Aughnacloy, where the Omagh bomb convoy crossed into Northern Ireland.