A report of a warning call to Finner Camp ahead of the Omagh bombing has been published as evidence at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.
The handwritten document, dated August 27th, 1998, is marked confidential.
It details a call received by the barracks orderly sergeant, whose name has been redacted. The caller was described as a man who sounded reasonable and not intoxicated.
The caller warned of specific back roads, advised that Gardaí and the Northern Ireland security forces be informed, and called for patrols to be put in place.
The message ended with the words “Omagh, Omagh, Omagh”.
The incident was not logged or reported to Custume Barracks in Athlone at the time.
Following the Omagh bombing, local Gardaí were informed and carried out interviews on Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th. It was then determined that no significance had been attached to the call, and that it was not considered to be a warning of the bomb. The origin of the call was traced to Donegal.
During questioning in yesterdays sitting onf the inquiry, Baroness Nuala O’Loan, former Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, said she had never become aware of the call in that role.
She said it was her understanding that there was no evidence to suggest it had reached the RUC.
She added that the call would have been relevant to investigations, despite her office having no jurisdiction in the Republic of Ireland.
