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Omagh bombing case: bill gets bigger
Civil action needs extra £840,000
By Jonathan McCambridge

THE father of an Omagh bombing victim today said he was confident that a civil case being taken by victims' families against alleged Real IRA bombers would proceed, despite spiralling legal costs.
Victor Barker made his comments after award-winning journalist John Ware claimed that an extra £840,000 had to be raised for the claim to proceed.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph Mr Ware, whose October 2000 documentary Who Bombed Omagh? led some of the families of the 31 victims to pursue the civil case, said that costs had already topped £l.lm.
The money was raised following a fund-raising campaign involving high profile figures such as Bob Geldof and former Secretary of State Peter Mandleson.
The case is being handled by specialist law firm H2O, headed by 33-year-old Jason McCue. Mr Barker, who now works as a lawyer in the south-east of England, lost his 12-year-old son James in the bombing.
He said: "I have been involved in the fund-raising throughout. The fund has trustees and they have monitored all the costs. We knew that more money would be needed and we are continuing to try to raise it.
"I am hopeful that we will be able to raise it and the case will go ahead because it is the only justice that we will receive. It is a farce that the families have been forced to pursue this avenue and raise the money ourselves because the Government is unwilling or unable to bring a prosecution."
He added: "Working as a lawyer it never ceases to amaze me how high the legal costs are in London, but there will be a full examination of all the costs in more detail at a later date.
"The important thing now is that the fund-raising continues and that the families are able to get some form of justice in court."