Northern Ireland police chiefs today denied the decision to bring a senior UK officer in to oversee the Omagh bomb inquiry was a rejection of the chief constable's proposals.
Members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board have agreed to appoint an assistant chief constable (ACC) or deputy chief constable (DCC) to help the investigation into the August 1998 atrocity.
The unanimous move followed talks involving the North's Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, and police ombudsman Mrs Nuala O'Loan who had clashed bitterly over the handling of the investigation.
Mr Flanagan had rejected Mrs O'Loan's recommendation that an outside officer should be brought in to head up the investigation.
He had insisted the current senior investigating officer, Mr Brian McArthur, should remain in charge, with a top Merseyside detective, Mr Philip Jones, appointed in an advisory role.
But the police board agreed to bring in another top-ranking outside officer to monitor the Omagh bomb investigation. Whoever fills the role will be answerable directly to the board.
Sources close to the chief constable today insisted the new appointment should not be seen as a rejection of his proposals.
"Ultimately when you look at what powers that individual will have they are no more than the Merseyside advisor presently has," one said. "This is not evidence in any way that we haven't done a good job or that we are incapable of doing a good job.
"The perception that we have brought in an advisor from Merseyside and it wasn't enough and we have somehow been slapped down is misleading," he said.
Mr McArthur is to retain operational command of the investigation with a direct reporting line to the chief constable. He will also report to the ACC or DCC appointed by the board.
PA