IN/0560

Writs served on five over Omagh attack
By Sharon O'Neill
Chief Reporter

The civil case against those suspected of the Omagh bombing is expected to be heard in less than six months' time. The development came as writs were served on the five men allegedly involved in the worst single atrocity of the Troubles.
Twenty-nine people including a woman pregnant with twins were killed in the Real IRA attack in Omagh on August 15, 1998.
Frustrated at the lack of prosecutions, relatives launched an unprecedented civil action against the suspects and have raised the £1 million needed to pursue their bid through the courts.
At 6.45am yesterday Jason McCue, a solicitor for the families, served writs on Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Neither of the Real IRA suspects were in at the time but the writs were received by relatives of the pair.
Gardai escorted Mr McCue to the area in case there was a breach of the peace.
Speaking afterwards Mr McCue told the Irish News: "I am delighted for the families that this case is on the road."
Shortly before 11am, writs were served inside Portlaoise jail on alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, who is awaiting trial charged with directing terrorism; Liam Campbell who is serving a sentence for membership of the Real IRA and Colm Murphy, who was recently sentenced to 14 years for conspiracy to cause the Omagh bombing.
Murphy, the only person to be charged in connection with the bombing, refused to meet a lawyer for the relatives but the other two writs were handed directly to the prisoners.
Relatives are seeking compensation from the suspects, who face losing their financial assets.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the blast, was waiting outside the prison.
He said: "No matter how long it takes, we will continue to make sure that those who perpetrated are put behind bars. That is the least we can do for the people that we lost."
Explaining the legal process, Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James was killed in the explosion, said the court hearing could proceed even if the respondents did not attend. .
"This is a civil case. This is not a criminal case. It is not a private prosecution even,' he said.
"This is a civil action brought by the families both against the individuals and of course against the organisation known as the Real IRA. It is entirely for them to defend or not."
Mr Barker said: "If, however, they do not defend, we still have to prove our case and that is the point of this action.
"We are quite happy to go into court armed with the evidence we have.
"If, on the balance of probability, a judge says he accepts the civil wrongs we complain of in those writs were done to the families by the individuals named, that as far as I'm concerned is the only achievable step of justice which the relatives have under their direct control. .
"I would be pleased for it to go forward to that stage.
In a statement last night the family of Michael McKevitt claimed the civil action was "part of an ongoing campaign orchestrated by M15" which "predates the Omagh bombing". Insisting Mr McKevitt was innocent the family claimed "his right to a fair trial in both Dublin and Belfast is being jeopardised".