Statement from U.S. Consul General Dean Pittman at an interdenominational service in Omagh on the Ninth anniversary of the Omagh bombing

15 August 2007

Documents & Texts from America.gov

Many Americans reflect with profound sadness on the unspeakable tragedy that took place in Omagh town centre on a busy Saturday in 1998. The Omagh bombing represented the sheer futility of violence in Northern Ireland while reinforcing the sense of urgency for a political settlement.

Over the coming days, people across the United States will be remembering the victims of the Omagh bombing and the hardships faced by their families over the last nine years. Amid the sorrow, they will be heartened that many in Northern Ireland have responded with a desire to build a shared future free from violence, sectarianism, and division.

We pay tribute to the Omagh Support and Self Help Group for their organization of this interdenominational service and also for their wider support toward those who have been deeply affected by the atrocity.