No new police Enniskillen investigation yet, insist PSNI
Rodney Edwards • Published 8 Nov 2012 12:55
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The scene of devastation at the War Memorial in 1987.
THE Police Service of Northern Ireland has downplayed the suggestion that a fresh investigation into the 1987 Enniskillen bomb will be launched.
It was reported at the weekend that, following the completion of an investigation by the Historical Enquiries Team, detectives were reopening the case. But a PSNI spokesperson has confirmed to The Impartial Reporter that once the HET hands over its files to police, officers MAY then consider launching a new probe, and it would be wrong to say anything otherwise.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the bomb, which left eleven people dead and 63 injured. Former Enniskillen High School headmaster, Ronnie Hill became the 12th victim when he died in 2000 after 13 years in a coma.
Nobody has ever been convicted in connection with the 1987 atrocity.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the PSNI explained that the Historical Enquiries Team has concluded its work on the deaths.
"Staff have updated families on the work and will formally hand over to PSNI's Serious Crime Branch who will assess the potential for further work to be progressed."
Enniskillen bomb victim Stephen Gault, whose father Samuel was killed in the attack, said the development "had to be positive".
"Hopefully something will come out of it. Somebody somewhere must know something and I would plead with them to come forward because it is never too late for justice," he said.
DUP MLA Arlene Foster described the Enniskillen bomb as an "act of horrific savagery", motivated by nothing other than a desire to kill and maim. She said she welcomed the development.
"25 years after the explosion, someone somewhere knows something about the perpetrators. Someone knows where the bomb was made, how it was transported and who planned the attack. This wasn't executed by one or two people. A team of people were involved," she said.
Ulster Unionist Councillor Raymond Farrell, who recently wrote to PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott in relation to the Enniskillen bomb, said: "I would be very keen that progress would be made as it is something that I have been in contact with the HET about. I think for the relatives of those who were murdered as well as the victims it would certainly help in the healing process to know that justice could be done and that someone or some people could be brought in front of the courts for this horrendous and evil crime."
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 08 Nov 12
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