Ex-detective claims Omagh bomb courier was MI5-Garda agent

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 13 Nov, 22:38 · Archive

The detective who led the Omagh bombing investigation has told an inquiry that the man who transported the bomb was an agent for both UK and Irish security services.

Retired Chief Superintendent Norman Baxter, who headed the investigation into the 1998 Omagh bombing, has told an inquiry sitting in Belfast that the man who transported the bomb was an agent for both MI5 and the Irish police force, the gardaí.

The Omagh bomb killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins. Baxter said that as he progressed through the investigation "it became very apparent that an individual was a Garda agent". He added that "in one operation there was a high potential that he was jointly handled by the security services".

Barxter also told the hearing that he believed intelligence services possessed significant knowledge of the bombers' intentions before the attack. "I formed the view that Special Branch, the security service and GCHQ knew prior to 15 August 1998 the identities of some if not all of the suspects involved in the Omagh bomb," he said. "The amount of information they knew I can't assess but yes, they knew."

He described "significant effort by the Garda to prevent their activities being uncovered" and alleged collusion by some members of An Garda Síochána with dissident republicans. He expressed particular criticism of the Irish authorities, saying the Irish Government and Ministry of Justice had "failed to investigate the Garda operations in the period leading up to Omagh".

Barxter said he was "saddened" by the "absolute failure" of the police investigation. "It is very sad. I am very proud of my time in the police but this was a failure at leadership, a failure at government level," he told the inquiry.

How it is being reported

• Former police officer claims ‘Garda-MI5 source’ linked to Omagh bomb plotA former senior police officer investigating the Omagh bomb has said there was an “absolute failure” of counter-terror policing prior to the 1998 atrocity.News Letter · 13 Nov, 19:20
• Man who transported Omagh bomb was an MI5 and Garda agent, inquiry toldThe Policeman who headed up the investigation told the inquiry the bomb carrier may have been a Garda and MI5 agent.BBC Northern Ireland · 13 Nov, 15:53
• Ex-top cop tells Omagh inquiry: ‘I believe that some members of An Garda Síochána colluded with dissident republicans’Gardaí and MI5 handled informer who drove Omagh bomb carBelfast Telegraph · 13 Nov, 15:30
• Former officer claims ‘Garda-MI5 source’ linked to Omagh bomb plotBelfast Telegraph · 13 Nov, 14:59

In this story: Norman Baxter · MI5 · An Garda Síochána · Omagh · GCHQ

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log