The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Chris Heaton-Harris)
On 2 February, I announced that I would establish an independent statutory inquiry into the preventability of the Omagh bombing, the Real IRA-perpetrated atrocity in August 1998 which killed 29 people and two unborn children, and injured 220 others. The responsibility for this appalling crime lies with the murderers and those that assisted them. It is important that all lessons are learned and that confidence in this is given to the families of those affected.
The inquiry will be established under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers, including the power to compel the production of documents and to summon witnesses to give evidence on oath.
Since that announcement in February, my Department has been steadily progressing the establishment of the inquiry, with a key priority being to identify a suitable chair.
After careful consideration, I am today announcing the appointment of Lord Alan Turnbull as chair of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry. Lord Turnbull has had a distinguished judicial career in Scotland. He was the lead prosecutor in the Lockerbie bombing case in 1998, and in 2006 was appointed a senator of the College of Justice, and a judge of the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary—the Supreme Courts of Scotland.
Lord Turnbull’s appointment to the role of chair of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry follows a recommendation made by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, in conjunction with his counterparts across the rest of the UK. Lord Turnbull’s long-standing judicial career and his previous experience of working on terrorism cases will provide the highest levels of knowledge and professionalism. I have no doubt that Lord Turnbull will bring to the inquiry the required rigour, independence and impartiality, and I am grateful to him for accepting this important job.
I will now work with Lord Turnbull to agree the terms of reference for the inquiry. I will update the House further once the terms of reference have been agreed.
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