OMAGH BOMB POLICE QUESTION SUSPECT AS FAMILIES HIT LEGAL SNAG
Omagh bomb police question suspect as families hit legal snag
By Staff Reporters
DETECTIVES investigating the Omagh bomb were today questioning a man about serious terrorist offences.
The news comes as judges in the Republic rejected access to state documentation to the families of the Omagh victims who had been seeking them as part of their �15m compensation claim.
The suspect, aged 34, was arrested overnight in Newry by officers probing the massacre in August 1998. He is believed to be from Dundalk. A PSNI Spokeswoman was unable to give any further details.
Meanwhile, the three-judge panel revealed in a written judgment to Dublin's Special Criminal court that it did not have jurisdiction to agree to release trial transcripts, books of evidence and statements related to the atrocity.
A total of 29 people were killed when a car bomb was detonated in Omagh town centre in August 1998.
The civil action is seeking aggravated damages and individual claims from five suspected Real IRA members alleged to have carried out the bombing.
In their ruling today, the Special Criminal Court judges said: "Having considered the arguments advanced and the law as we see it applying to this request and being conscious of the anxiety of the applicants in relation to this issue, the court is unable to make the direction requested by reason of lack of jurisdiction and therefore refuses to accede to the application."
The judgment comes just days after senior officers stressed the investigation into the attack was still alive.
About 500 lines of inquiry have still to be checked out by detectives from the PSNI and Garda.
Although one man has been charged with possessing the timer power unit used to detonate the massive car bomb, no-one has ever been convicted of carrying out the attack.
Relatives of some of the victims, who have launched their multi-million pound civil action, are still hoping that their landmark case will be heard at the Northern Ireland High Court later this year.
By Staff Reporters
DETECTIVES investigating the Omagh bomb were today questioning a man about serious terrorist offences.
The news comes as judges in the Republic rejected access to state documentation to the families of the Omagh victims who had been seeking them as part of their �15m compensation claim.
The suspect, aged 34, was arrested overnight in Newry by officers probing the massacre in August 1998. He is believed to be from Dundalk. A PSNI Spokeswoman was unable to give any further details.
Meanwhile, the three-judge panel revealed in a written judgment to Dublin's Special Criminal court that it did not have jurisdiction to agree to release trial transcripts, books of evidence and statements related to the atrocity.
A total of 29 people were killed when a car bomb was detonated in Omagh town centre in August 1998.
The civil action is seeking aggravated damages and individual claims from five suspected Real IRA members alleged to have carried out the bombing.
In their ruling today, the Special Criminal Court judges said: "Having considered the arguments advanced and the law as we see it applying to this request and being conscious of the anxiety of the applicants in relation to this issue, the court is unable to make the direction requested by reason of lack of jurisdiction and therefore refuses to accede to the application."
The judgment comes just days after senior officers stressed the investigation into the attack was still alive.
About 500 lines of inquiry have still to be checked out by detectives from the PSNI and Garda.
Although one man has been charged with possessing the timer power unit used to detonate the massive car bomb, no-one has ever been convicted of carrying out the attack.
Relatives of some of the victims, who have launched their multi-million pound civil action, are still hoping that their landmark case will be heard at the Northern Ireland High Court later this year.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0955
Published Date: 07-Feb-05
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