The Sinn FΘin vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, has called on the Northern Secretary to "unequivocally back" the Police Ombudsman and her report into the RUC's handling of the Omagh investigation.
Mr Doherty said while the Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan's, reaction of anger and outrage at the report had been "appalling", the British government's silence at Ms Nuala O'Loan's findings was "much worse". "I am calling in particular on Dr [John] Reid to come out and back the Ombudsman and her findings. After all, her office was set up under the Patten recommendations," he told The Irish Times.
"The situation sparked by the report is really coming down to one core principle: We can have a police service that is run by securocrats and people like Special Branch, who are a force within a force, or we can take a democratic approach and ensure that there is the principle of accountability," Mr Doherty added. The Sinn FΘin MP for West Tyrone said the onus was now on Dr Reid to accept Ms O'Loan's six recommendations, which were "sensible and straightforward".
Sinn FΘin also wanted to see the Ombudsman's powers and remit extended to include retrospective investigations into Special Branch operations.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Policing Board, Prof Des Rea, has pledged his commitment to "getting to the bottom" of the issues raised in Ms O'Loan's report. Speaking after a meeting of the board's corporate policy committee, he said board members understood "the strength of feeling which exists about this report" and would "not shirk our responsibility" to examine it thoroughly.
"It is important that we balance the need to progress this matter quickly with the requirement to be in possession of all the relevant information.
"In January we will therefore be talking to all those affected by the report to inform our consideration of it."