Gardaí allowed bomb-laden stolen cars to cross into Northern Ireland for terrorism, Omagh inquiry hears

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026 · last updated 9 October 2026.

A senior Garda officer permitted stolen cars — some loaded with bombs — to cross from the Republic into Northern Ireland to gather intelligence on dissident republicans, the Omagh Bomb Inquiry has heard. Martin Bridger, a former Police Ombudsman investigator, told the hearing a Garda whistleblower gave him the explosive account, describing the officer as credible.

Bridger said Garda detective John White claimed his informant Paddy Dixon stole cars for terrorist attacks, and passed warnings to superior officer Dermot Jennings about Real IRA bomb preparations.

The inquiry also heard that Baroness Nuala O'Loan resisted 'high-level' pressure from then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid not to publish her 2001 report critical of RUC leadership.

The 1998 Omagh bombing killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, less than three months after Northern Ireland voted yes to the Good Friday Agreement.