OMAGH REMAINS UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Omagh remains unfinished business
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY: Dignified relatives must get justice in the end
Relatives of the Omagh bomb victims and the injured are marking the fifth anniversary of the atrocity today in their different ways. Some joined in the ceremony at the memorial garden while others remembered quietly at home, in their churches or at gravesides.
The shaky camcorder shots, taken immediately after the explosion, are how everyone remembers the horrific scene of death and devastation. But although the buildings along the street have been replaced, and the town is slowly returning to normal, there can be no real closure to the hurt until justice is seen to be done.
The investigation into the worst single incident of the troubles has been dogged by controversy, without coming to a satisfactory conclusion. The police on both sides of the border allegedly know the bombers, living in the south, and attempts have been made by journalists to interview them, which have always been rebuffed.
They carry on with their lives, as if they had no connection with the Omagh bomb, but a day of reckoning is coming.
One man was sentenced to 14 years last year for his part in the conspiracy and recent developments have given the relatives reason for new hope that their civil case against five men they accuse of the bombing may succeed.
Judges in the Republic convicted Michael McKevitt, the Real IRA leader, of directing terrorism in the period after Omagh, and the word of an American FBI agent, David Rupert, was accepted as genuine. If he were to tell his story, gleaned from McKevitt, in the relatives' civil action here, they could be well on the way to proving their case.
The other major development has been the government's decision to fund the �800,000 gap between the �lm raised by the relatives to fight their case and the estimated cost of the High Court action. It was an unprecedented move, tacitly acknowledging the unsatisfactory nature of the criminal investigation so far, and enabling the relatives to have their day in court.
While there has been a general welcome for the government's gesture � which could precipitate demands for assistance in the case of similar atrocities � there are still some outstanding issues. Strangely, two of the men facing the civil action are receiving legal aid and the Republic's government refuses to waive a large payment for transcripts of the McKevitt case.
Nothing will undo the destruction of five years ago, but the outpouring of sympathy, worldwide, and the generosity of everyone involved in easing the pain have played their part in the town's revival. The spirit of Omagh, and its supporters, will be remembered long after the bombers are called to account.
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY: Dignified relatives must get justice in the end
Relatives of the Omagh bomb victims and the injured are marking the fifth anniversary of the atrocity today in their different ways. Some joined in the ceremony at the memorial garden while others remembered quietly at home, in their churches or at gravesides.
The shaky camcorder shots, taken immediately after the explosion, are how everyone remembers the horrific scene of death and devastation. But although the buildings along the street have been replaced, and the town is slowly returning to normal, there can be no real closure to the hurt until justice is seen to be done.
The investigation into the worst single incident of the troubles has been dogged by controversy, without coming to a satisfactory conclusion. The police on both sides of the border allegedly know the bombers, living in the south, and attempts have been made by journalists to interview them, which have always been rebuffed.
They carry on with their lives, as if they had no connection with the Omagh bomb, but a day of reckoning is coming.
One man was sentenced to 14 years last year for his part in the conspiracy and recent developments have given the relatives reason for new hope that their civil case against five men they accuse of the bombing may succeed.
Judges in the Republic convicted Michael McKevitt, the Real IRA leader, of directing terrorism in the period after Omagh, and the word of an American FBI agent, David Rupert, was accepted as genuine. If he were to tell his story, gleaned from McKevitt, in the relatives' civil action here, they could be well on the way to proving their case.
The other major development has been the government's decision to fund the �800,000 gap between the �lm raised by the relatives to fight their case and the estimated cost of the High Court action. It was an unprecedented move, tacitly acknowledging the unsatisfactory nature of the criminal investigation so far, and enabling the relatives to have their day in court.
While there has been a general welcome for the government's gesture � which could precipitate demands for assistance in the case of similar atrocities � there are still some outstanding issues. Strangely, two of the men facing the civil action are receiving legal aid and the Republic's government refuses to waive a large payment for transcripts of the McKevitt case.
Nothing will undo the destruction of five years ago, but the outpouring of sympathy, worldwide, and the generosity of everyone involved in easing the pain have played their part in the town's revival. The spirit of Omagh, and its supporters, will be remembered long after the bombers are called to account.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0911
Published Date: 15-Aug-03
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