DATE=8/18/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237284
TITLE=IRISH BOMB CLAIM (S/L VER)
BYLINE=PAUL FRANCUCH
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A GROUP CALLING ITSELF THE "REAL I-R-A" SAYS IT PLANTED
LAST SATURDAY'S CAR BOMB IN THE NORTHERN IRELAND TOWN OF OMAGH
WHICH KILLED 28 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 200 OTHERS. THE
RADICAL GROUP, WHICH SPLINTERED FROM THE "IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY",
SAYS CIVILIANS WERE NOT THE INTENDED TARGET OF THE BLAST. MORE
FROM V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH IN LONDON.
TEXT: IN A CODED MESSAGE TELEPHONED TO AN IRISH NEWSPAPER (LATE
TUESDAY), A GROUP CALLING ITSELF THE "REAL I-R-A" SAID IT WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEADLY CAR BOMBING, BUT CIVILIANS WERE NOT
THE INTENDED TARGET.
AN UN-IDENTIFIED MALE TOLD THE "IRISH NEWS" THE BOMB WAS PLANTED
AS A COMMERCIAL TARGET -- PART OF THE ONGOING WAR, AGAINST THE
BRITS. (BRITISH). HE SAID -- WE OFFER APOLOGIES TO THE
CIVILIANS.
THE MASSIVE BOMB EXPLODED IN A BUSY SHOPPING AREA OF OMAGH. MANY
WERE TRAGICALLY DIVERTED TO THE BOMB SITE WHEN POLICE GOT A CODED
WARNING OF A BOMB SET TO GO OFF ELSEWHERE. IT WAS THE DEADLIEST
TERRORIST ATTACK IN THE PAST THREE DECADES OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
IN NORTHERN IRELAND.
/// CUT HERE FOR SHORT ///
AUTHORITIES HAD SUSPECTED THE "REAL I-R-A" GROUP WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE BLAST. AUTHORITIES SAY IT HAS LESS THAN 100 MEMBERS, AND
SPLIT FROM THE MAIN BODY OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY AFTER IT
ANNOUNCED A CEASEFIRE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. THIS PAST APRIL
10TH, FOLLOWING INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS LED BY FORMER U-S SENATOR
GEORGE MITCHELL, CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT FACTIONS REACHED A
LANDMARK PEACE AGREEMENT FOR NORTHERN IRELAND.
EARLIER TUESDAY, PRINCE CHARLES -- HEIR TO THE BRITISH THRONE --
VISITED THE BOMB SITE IN OMAGH, SAYING HE WAS SHATTERED AND
HORRIFIED BY WHAT HE SAW. HE RECALLED HIS UNCLE LOUIS
MOUNTBATTEN BEING KILLED BY NORTHERN IRISH TERRORISTS TWO-DECADES
AGO
/// CHARLES ACT ///
I REMEMBER ONLY TOO WELL FEELING DEEPLY ANGERED WHEN MY
GREAT UNCLE LORD MOUNTBATTEN AND OTHER RELATIONS WERE
BLOWN INTO SMALL PIECES 19-YEARS AGO. I REMEMBER IT SO
WELL ... SO I CAN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF
THE FEELINGS -- ONLY A LITTLE BIT, PERHAPS -- OF THOSE
WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES ON THIS OCCASION. AND I
REMEMBER HOPING 19-YEARS AGO THAT SOMETHING POSITIVE
WOULD COME OUT OF THAT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS HAVE
GONE ON YET AGAIN. BUT LET US PRAY THIS TIME THAT IT
WILL BE THE END TO ALL THE HORRORS THAT POOR IRELAND HAS
HAD TO SUFFER.
/// END ACT ///
TWO VICTIMS OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CAR BOMBING WERE BURIED
TUESDAY. AVRIL MONAGHAN, WHO WAS PREGNANT, WAS BURIED WITH HER
INFANT DAUGHTER -- BOTH WERE KILLED IN THE BLAST. MS MONAGHAN'S
MOTHER WAS ALSO KILLED IN THE BLAST AND WILL BE BURIED WEDNESDAY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/RAE
18-Aug-98 2:15 PM EDT (1815 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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