BOMBER 'GRINNED' AT PASSING WOMAN
Bomber 'grinned' at passing woman
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
ONE of the Omagh bombers grinned at a woman as he calmly walked away from a car bomb that exploded just an hour later, killing 29 people, a court has heard.
On the eighth day of the Omagh bombing trial, Belfast Crown Court heard evidence about the movements of a maroon Cavalier car in which the 5001b Real IRA bomb was hidden.
Sean Hoey (37) from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 58 terrorist charges. The prosecution alleges he had an active role in preparing a number of bombs in a dissident republican campaign following the Good Friday Agreement.
The court heard from Co Tyrone woman Ruth Buchanan, who had travelled to Omagh on August 15, 1998 to shop with her mother. She stopped at a parking space in Market Street. She confirmed to the court a maroon Cavalier pulled in front of her at around 2pm.
She said two men immediately got out of the car. She said they seemed to be in a hurry and were neat and "looked like soldiers".
She then said the passenger made eye contact with her and grinned at her before the pair walked off down Market Street.
Just an hour later a massive bomb exploded in the Cavalier causing devastation in the town.
Earlier yesterday, an RUC Scenes of Crimes Officer (SOCO) admitted a storeroom in a police station where exhibits from explosive devices were kept was a "complete mess".
The court was hearing evidence about a mortar bomb attack on an RUC Station at Corry Square in Newry on July 21, 1998 - less than a month before the Omagh blast.
Soco Robert Wilkinson had attended the scene and removed parts of the explosive device. Some were sent to a forensic lab, while others were placed in a special property store in Newry.
Defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC told the court it was imperative people like Mr Wilkinson be able to locate an item at any time.
Mr Pownall stated: "In 1998 the special property store was a complete mess, was it not?" Mr Wilkinson replied, "Yes".
The defence QC went on to ask the SOCO officer if he often had to go looking for things, saying it was like "looking for a needle in a haystack". Mr Wilkinson admitted that was the case.
Earlier in the hearing, an ammunitions technical officer who attended the scene of the 1701bs mortar bomb in Newry was asked his opinion on the device.
Christopher Saunders told Mr Justice Weir he believed the intended target was the police station, adding "the purpose was to cause considerable damage, death or casualties".
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
ONE of the Omagh bombers grinned at a woman as he calmly walked away from a car bomb that exploded just an hour later, killing 29 people, a court has heard.
On the eighth day of the Omagh bombing trial, Belfast Crown Court heard evidence about the movements of a maroon Cavalier car in which the 5001b Real IRA bomb was hidden.
Sean Hoey (37) from Molly Road, Jonesborough, denies 58 terrorist charges. The prosecution alleges he had an active role in preparing a number of bombs in a dissident republican campaign following the Good Friday Agreement.
The court heard from Co Tyrone woman Ruth Buchanan, who had travelled to Omagh on August 15, 1998 to shop with her mother. She stopped at a parking space in Market Street. She confirmed to the court a maroon Cavalier pulled in front of her at around 2pm.
She said two men immediately got out of the car. She said they seemed to be in a hurry and were neat and "looked like soldiers".
She then said the passenger made eye contact with her and grinned at her before the pair walked off down Market Street.
Just an hour later a massive bomb exploded in the Cavalier causing devastation in the town.
Earlier yesterday, an RUC Scenes of Crimes Officer (SOCO) admitted a storeroom in a police station where exhibits from explosive devices were kept was a "complete mess".
The court was hearing evidence about a mortar bomb attack on an RUC Station at Corry Square in Newry on July 21, 1998 - less than a month before the Omagh blast.
Soco Robert Wilkinson had attended the scene and removed parts of the explosive device. Some were sent to a forensic lab, while others were placed in a special property store in Newry.
Defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC told the court it was imperative people like Mr Wilkinson be able to locate an item at any time.
Mr Pownall stated: "In 1998 the special property store was a complete mess, was it not?" Mr Wilkinson replied, "Yes".
The defence QC went on to ask the SOCO officer if he often had to go looking for things, saying it was like "looking for a needle in a haystack". Mr Wilkinson admitted that was the case.
Earlier in the hearing, an ammunitions technical officer who attended the scene of the 1701bs mortar bomb in Newry was asked his opinion on the device.
Christopher Saunders told Mr Justice Weir he believed the intended target was the police station, adding "the purpose was to cause considerable damage, death or casualties".
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1022
Published Date: 05-Oct-06
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