The head of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Prof Brice Dickson, has been refused a meeting with police to discuss their investigation into the Omagh bomb atrocity, it was revealed yesterday.
With the British and Irish governments under increasing pressure to agree demands for a full public inquiry into the August 1998 attack which left 29 people dead including a mother pregnant with twins, outraged victims' relatives condemned the decision to turn down Prof Dickson's request for talks.
He has already examined a number of files compiled by the families and has also been urged to back their campaign for a full-scale cross-Border judicial hearing.
Mr Godfrey Wilson, whose daughter Lorraine (15), was killed in the 'Real IRA' car-bombing, said: "The investigation team should be willing to meet anyone who is looking for justice and who wants to safeguard the rights of innocent victims.
"It's crazy they couldn't bring themselves to see him and we are all very disappointed."
Detectives are to question a Special Branch officer in an attempt to trace the source of a anonymous telephone call which warned of a planned attack to take place in Omagh on the day of the bombing. He is likely to be interviewed within the next few weeks.
The call was made on August 4th, 1998, 11 days before the Omagh atrocity, but the information claiming that police were going to be attacked was never passed on by Special Branch to uniformed officers on the ground.
The source of the call has never been identified. Mr Wilson said: "It seems to me that a cat- and-mouse game is being played out and it is taking a terrible toll on people's emotions. It stinks."
Prof Dickson has renewed his request for a meeting with the inquiry team which is headed by Det Supt Norman Baxter.
Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid is overseeing the investigation, and is also in overall charge of the Northern Bank robbery case.
The Dublin-based Irish Human Rights Commission is likely to be asked to consider giving its support for the public inquiry.
Prof Dickson said: "At the moment, my inclination would be to back the Omagh relatives. But I need more information and to speak with the police to establish what progress has been made. It wouldn't be until then before I could make a definitive decision."
In the meantime, the families are pressing ahead with an unprecedented High Court civil action against five men whom they claim were responsible for the bombing.
The case, in which they are seeking £14 million compensation, may go ahead late next year.
Prof Dickson leaves the Human Rights Commission in the New Year. His position has already been advertised.
- (PA)