The people behind the Omagh bomb will be charged, the Garda Commissioner has said. Mr Pat Byrne said yesterday that gardai had identified some of those responsible and he was "confident that at the end of the day prosecutions will be brought in relation to that case".
The gardai worked closely with the RUC on the investigation, he said, and "investigators on both sides of the Border have made tremendous progress". The focus of the investigation now was to put together "sufficient evidence to put before the DPP", he said.
"I'm confident at this stage we know some of those involved in this particular carnage," but there remained a lot of work before anyone would be charged. Asked about reports that the Provisional IRA was involved in last month's robbery of a security van in Dalkey, Mr Byrne said he questioned the accuracy of this. While the possible involvement of Provisional IRA terrorists in the robbery was being investigated, "to say that the Provisional IRA were involved in it, I think it's presumptuous".
He denied gardai were reluctant to blame the IRA because of the political pressures involved in the peace process.
On recent paramilitary abductions and "punishment" attacks, Mr Byrne said the abductions would be investigated in co-operation with the RUC.
A recent statement in An Phoblacht that IRA weapons had fallen into the hands of dissidents "is no surprise to security forces on either side of the Border", he said.
Speaking about the increase in gangland-style attacks and killings in Dublin, Mr Byrne said they seemed to be linked to turf wars over drugs and an increased level of violence was being used. "It used to be that if there was a falling out there would be assaults using fists or sticks. Now it seems that the reaction over a grievance is that one goes for a gun."
Mr Byrne said he met all the Assistant Commissioners and heads of specialist units in relation to an upsurge in violence. All the required resources were being allocated to the Garda response.
Asked about the threat of industrial action by scientists in the Forensic Science Laboratory, Mr Byrne said he was "very confident" discussions between the Department of Justice and the union would reach a satisfactory conclusion.
The scientists were vital to successful investigations, he said, and while there were contingency plans to use Garda technical officers at scenes of crime, he was confident these would not be needed.
