Kerr detectives make appeal about unidentified man
Rodney Edwards • Published 20 Feb 2012 11:57
DETECTIVES investigating the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in Omagh last April have appealed for information on 11 unidentified vehicles and one unidentified man in the vicinity of the 25-year-old home in the days leading up to the murder and on the day itself.
Constable Kerr died after a booby-trap bomb exploded under his car in Highfield Close at 3.45pm as he left his apartment to go to work in Enniskillen.
Speaking to the media in Omagh today, Detective Superintendent Raymond Murray, who is leading the investigation, said: "These vehicles and the man are significant for one of two reasons. They are either valuable witnesses or potential suspects. That is why we need anyone who knows anything about these appeals to come forward so that we can progress the investigation".
The investigation into Constable Kerr's murder and a linked series of incidents which include an arms find, attempted murders, armed robberies and a number of other terrorist attacks is one of the most extensive since the Omagh bombing in 1998.
"This is a long-term investigation with Ronan Kerr's murder at its core but incorporating several linked incidents. It is an extremely large investigation which, as we said at the outset, will rely on detail to succeed and can be progressed with continuing support from the community
We are ten months into this investigation but there is a long way to go. We have trawled through an enormous amount of information obtained from our enquiries and material gleaned from previous appeals. But there are still gaps which we are endeavouring to close in terms of building up a complete picture of the events leading up to the explosion," he said.
There have been 56 searches, 10 arrests and one person charged as part of the overall investigation. The charge relates to a linked incident. A comprehensive forensic strategy is being progressed involving hundreds of exhibits being submitted for examination at laboratories in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the United States.
A £50,000 reward remains on offer from the independent charity Crimestoppers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Ronan's murder. The Crimestoppers number is 0800 555 111. The police incident room in Omagh is 028 8225 6687. The line will be staffed from 9am to 9pm. Outside these times, a messaging service will be available. A map showing the area around Highfield Close and the specific appeals has been uploaded to our website, just click the link to the right of this story.
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 20 Feb 12
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