IN/0545

Omagh families seek funds for court case
By Kieran McDaid

RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims will today launch a high-profile fundraising campaign for their civil action against those they believe planted the device.
The launch will be hosted by Live Aid founder Bob Geldof, with former boxing world champion Barry McGuigan, former secretary of state Peter Mandelson and First Minister David Trimble expected to attend.
Other well known figures -including best-selling novelist Maeve Binchy - who are unable to attend, will send letters of support to be read out at the event in London.
A number of national newspaper editors in Britain are also due to attend this afternoon's launch at the Irish Club in Eton Square.
The families have been advised that they need to raise £2 million to fund the civil action against the people suspected of causing the bombing.
Since the relatives launched the Omagh Victims Legal Fund 19 months ago, they have raised £500,000 towards the cost of a landmark case against members of the Real IRA, who have been blamed for the atrocity.
The families have until August - the deadline for serving writs on the bomb suspects - to raise the estimated £1 million in prosecution and £1 million defence costs for the case.
Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died in the Real IRA car bomb which devastated Omagh on August 15 1998.
Only one person has been convicted of charges relating to the bomb.
Colm Murphy was sentenced in January to 14 years in jail at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the bombing, will be among the 11 families who are travelling to London.
"I think that this is one of our hopes, that we can achieve some sort of justice through civil action," he said.
"We want a lot of people to support us. A lot have, and we hope they will continue to do so."Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the fund is asked to send cheques, made payable to the Omagh Victims Legal Fund, to 21 Southwick Mews, London W2 UG. Alternatively, they can make a donation at any Bank of Ireland branch.