OMAGH BOMB VICTIMS TRAVEL TO COLUMBIA
Omagh bomb victims travel to Colombia
By Michael McHugh
OMAGH bomb victims are travelling to Colombia this week to speak at an international conference on terrorism.
Michael Gallagher and Stanley McCombe from the Omagh Self-Help group are to meet with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during the two-day Second International Conference on Victims of Terrorism.
Victims from Spain, France and Israel will be in the South American country, which has been involved in a long-running battle against Marxist guerrillas known as FARC who control part of the country.
This week's meeting follows last year's successful gathering in Madrid and will be addressed by speakers from around the world.
Mr Gallagher said he hoped the conference would help to highlight the experience of the Omagh victims.
"I will be telling the audience how victims of terrorism are treated in Northern Ireland and how victims are an embarrassment to the Government," he said.
"It's important that we meet other victims from across the world and learn from their experiences and how they are coping with the situation.
"We will also be learning what they are doing to put pressure on governments and terrorists alike," he added.
Nobel Laureate and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble caused a stir at last year's Spanish conference when he was reported as saying that human rights groups were "complicit in the murder of innocent victims".
The siting of the conference in Bogota is significant following the ongoing publicity surrounding the FARC controversy.
Irishmen Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan were sentenced to 17 years in prison by a Colombian court last year for training the Marxist rebels.
The three men later absconded and there is an international "red notice" out for their provisional arrest.
By Michael McHugh
OMAGH bomb victims are travelling to Colombia this week to speak at an international conference on terrorism.
Michael Gallagher and Stanley McCombe from the Omagh Self-Help group are to meet with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe during the two-day Second International Conference on Victims of Terrorism.
Victims from Spain, France and Israel will be in the South American country, which has been involved in a long-running battle against Marxist guerrillas known as FARC who control part of the country.
This week's meeting follows last year's successful gathering in Madrid and will be addressed by speakers from around the world.
Mr Gallagher said he hoped the conference would help to highlight the experience of the Omagh victims.
"I will be telling the audience how victims of terrorism are treated in Northern Ireland and how victims are an embarrassment to the Government," he said.
"It's important that we meet other victims from across the world and learn from their experiences and how they are coping with the situation.
"We will also be learning what they are doing to put pressure on governments and terrorists alike," he added.
Nobel Laureate and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble caused a stir at last year's Spanish conference when he was reported as saying that human rights groups were "complicit in the murder of innocent victims".
The siting of the conference in Bogota is significant following the ongoing publicity surrounding the FARC controversy.
Irishmen Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan were sentenced to 17 years in prison by a Colombian court last year for training the Marxist rebels.
The three men later absconded and there is an international "red notice" out for their provisional arrest.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0958
Published Date: 23-Feb-05
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