OMAGH BOMB TRIAL DEFENCE ATTACKS ARMY ON EVIDENCE
Omagh bomb trial defence attacks army on evidence
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
THE Omagh bombing trial has heard that parts of an explosive device from another attack were left unbagged in an army base with no protection against contamination.
On the fourth day of evidence in the trial of Sean Hoey, Belfast Crown Court was given evidence about the 6001b car bomb which was left in Lisburn on April 30, 1998 - just months before the Omagh explosion which killed 29 people.
Hoey (37), from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 58 terrorist charges relating to a Real IRA campaign. The prosecution case against him relies heavily on DNA and fibre evidence.
However, defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC launched an attack on the standards of storing evidence in 1998.
RUC Scenes of Crimes Officer (SOCO) Michael Hannigan told the court that he had taken possession of parts of the bomb from a military base at the Maze days after Army Technical Officers had carried out a controlled explosion. He said the items had been left unbagged in a storeroom at the base.
Mr Pownall said: "Did you not think that compromised the items? Were you not perplexed they were not in bags?"
Mr Hannigan said it was common experience that items were handed over in this way.
Mr Pownall added: "They were left lying next to each other. They could have come into contact with one another."
The barrister asked if he had considered DNA evidence when handling the parts of the Lisburn device. Mr Hannigan said the only contamination he would have been concerned about was over fibre evidence.
Trial judge Mr Justice Weir asked: "What about contamination from one item to the next with fibres. If they were put down together could there not have been fibre contamination."
Mr Hannigan said: "Totally."
Mr Justice Weir continued: "Was there no thought about it at all. Did that mean the Army were not subject to the normal rules for the recovery of material?"
Mr Hannigan said: "It sounds like they were treated differently."
Earlier a former major from the Army bomb squad said that parts of the device could have been "forensically altered".
Jonathon Whitaker admitted that it had been normal practice for bomb squad officers to use heavy duty tape to "secure" parts of a bomb which they had made safe. The case, continues today.
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
THE Omagh bombing trial has heard that parts of an explosive device from another attack were left unbagged in an army base with no protection against contamination.
On the fourth day of evidence in the trial of Sean Hoey, Belfast Crown Court was given evidence about the 6001b car bomb which was left in Lisburn on April 30, 1998 - just months before the Omagh explosion which killed 29 people.
Hoey (37), from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 58 terrorist charges relating to a Real IRA campaign. The prosecution case against him relies heavily on DNA and fibre evidence.
However, defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC launched an attack on the standards of storing evidence in 1998.
RUC Scenes of Crimes Officer (SOCO) Michael Hannigan told the court that he had taken possession of parts of the bomb from a military base at the Maze days after Army Technical Officers had carried out a controlled explosion. He said the items had been left unbagged in a storeroom at the base.
Mr Pownall said: "Did you not think that compromised the items? Were you not perplexed they were not in bags?"
Mr Hannigan said it was common experience that items were handed over in this way.
Mr Pownall added: "They were left lying next to each other. They could have come into contact with one another."
The barrister asked if he had considered DNA evidence when handling the parts of the Lisburn device. Mr Hannigan said the only contamination he would have been concerned about was over fibre evidence.
Trial judge Mr Justice Weir asked: "What about contamination from one item to the next with fibres. If they were put down together could there not have been fibre contamination."
Mr Hannigan said: "Totally."
Mr Justice Weir continued: "Was there no thought about it at all. Did that mean the Army were not subject to the normal rules for the recovery of material?"
Mr Hannigan said: "It sounds like they were treated differently."
Earlier a former major from the Army bomb squad said that parts of the device could have been "forensically altered".
Jonathon Whitaker admitted that it had been normal practice for bomb squad officers to use heavy duty tape to "secure" parts of a bomb which they had made safe. The case, continues today.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1021
Published Date: 29-Sep-06
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