ADAMS MUST TESTIFY ON OMAGH
Adams 'must testify on Omagh'
SINN FEIN president Gerry Adams has said he has no evidence to offer Omagh relatives in their �10 million Northern Ireland High Court action later this year.
Mr Adams and four other republicans, who were alleged to be members of the IRA's ruling council the year before the atrocity, have been subpoenaed by some of the victims' relatives. The Sinn Fein leader said he was very surprised to be summoned to appear in court.
"I have no evidence to offer," he said. It is understood that there is no legal obligation on the subpoenaed men to appear as witnesses in the civil case.
Senior party members, Martin McGuinness and Mitchel McLaughlin, went to Omagh on the night of the bombing in August 1998 and Mr Adams visited the devastated Co Tyrone town the following day.
Mr Adams said Special Branch and British military intelligence appeared to have prior warning of a bomb attack on the town and asked if any of their representatives had been subpoenaed.
"I wonder what this is all about. I wonder what agenda is being fulfilled here."
Meanwhile, it was reported last night that lawyers for the Omagh families were threatening legal action following Mr Adams comments.
Papers served in Belfast claim that Mr Adams and the other four led the IRA when Michael McKevitt quit to lead the republican dissident group which bombed Omagh, killing 29 people and unborn twins.
MPs Martin McGuinness and Pat Doherty, and Brian Gillen and Brian Keenan - all alleged members of the IRA's ruling army council - have also been subpoenaed by lawyers.
McKevitt, the IRA's former quartermaster general, is one of the five Real IRA suspects being sued by the relatives in a landmark civil action.
Mr Adams has always denied being a member of the Provisional IRA, but lawyers believe he and the others could provide vital information about republican strategy at the time.
McKevitt quit in a row over Sinn Fein involvement in the peace process.
McKevitt (51) has been named in court papers as an alleged Real IRA member along with Liam Campbell (38), Colm Murphy (51), Seamus McKenna (49) and Seamus Daly (33).
Lawyers have now decided they want to quiz the senior Sinn Fein members and other top republicans about their links with him before the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
The legal team has listed five secret Provisional IRA meetings (in the run-up to McKevitt's resignation) they want to know more about.
These are a general IRA convention in October 1996, two joint meetings of the republican group's army council and executive in July and August 1997, an extraordinary general army convention at Gweedore, Co Donegal, and a meeting of the IRA executive on October 23 1997 when it is claimed McKevitt resigned.
Mr Adams was interned in the early 1970s but he has always denied claims that he was an IRA commander in Belfast who rose through the ranks.
But Victor Barker, whose son James (12) was among those killed in Omagh, said it was essential to cross-examine Mr Adams about his alleged presence at the meetings.
Even though Mr Barker was told by Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness during meetings that they could not help him, he insisted that they must testify.
"This is a crucial part of the case," he said. "We want to establish how the Real IRA came into existence and their evidence is vital."
Following a report in the Irish News, the family of Avril Monaghan (30), who was pregnant with twins when she was killed in the Omagh bombing, have asked us to point out that they have no association with the Omagh self-help group or its legal action.
SINN FEIN president Gerry Adams has said he has no evidence to offer Omagh relatives in their �10 million Northern Ireland High Court action later this year.
Mr Adams and four other republicans, who were alleged to be members of the IRA's ruling council the year before the atrocity, have been subpoenaed by some of the victims' relatives. The Sinn Fein leader said he was very surprised to be summoned to appear in court.
"I have no evidence to offer," he said. It is understood that there is no legal obligation on the subpoenaed men to appear as witnesses in the civil case.
Senior party members, Martin McGuinness and Mitchel McLaughlin, went to Omagh on the night of the bombing in August 1998 and Mr Adams visited the devastated Co Tyrone town the following day.
Mr Adams said Special Branch and British military intelligence appeared to have prior warning of a bomb attack on the town and asked if any of their representatives had been subpoenaed.
"I wonder what this is all about. I wonder what agenda is being fulfilled here."
Meanwhile, it was reported last night that lawyers for the Omagh families were threatening legal action following Mr Adams comments.
Papers served in Belfast claim that Mr Adams and the other four led the IRA when Michael McKevitt quit to lead the republican dissident group which bombed Omagh, killing 29 people and unborn twins.
MPs Martin McGuinness and Pat Doherty, and Brian Gillen and Brian Keenan - all alleged members of the IRA's ruling army council - have also been subpoenaed by lawyers.
McKevitt, the IRA's former quartermaster general, is one of the five Real IRA suspects being sued by the relatives in a landmark civil action.
Mr Adams has always denied being a member of the Provisional IRA, but lawyers believe he and the others could provide vital information about republican strategy at the time.
McKevitt quit in a row over Sinn Fein involvement in the peace process.
McKevitt (51) has been named in court papers as an alleged Real IRA member along with Liam Campbell (38), Colm Murphy (51), Seamus McKenna (49) and Seamus Daly (33).
Lawyers have now decided they want to quiz the senior Sinn Fein members and other top republicans about their links with him before the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
The legal team has listed five secret Provisional IRA meetings (in the run-up to McKevitt's resignation) they want to know more about.
These are a general IRA convention in October 1996, two joint meetings of the republican group's army council and executive in July and August 1997, an extraordinary general army convention at Gweedore, Co Donegal, and a meeting of the IRA executive on October 23 1997 when it is claimed McKevitt resigned.
Mr Adams was interned in the early 1970s but he has always denied claims that he was an IRA commander in Belfast who rose through the ranks.
But Victor Barker, whose son James (12) was among those killed in Omagh, said it was essential to cross-examine Mr Adams about his alleged presence at the meetings.
Even though Mr Barker was told by Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness during meetings that they could not help him, he insisted that they must testify.
"This is a crucial part of the case," he said. "We want to establish how the Real IRA came into existence and their evidence is vital."
Following a report in the Irish News, the family of Avril Monaghan (30), who was pregnant with twins when she was killed in the Omagh bombing, have asked us to point out that they have no association with the Omagh self-help group or its legal action.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0591
Published Date: 13-Feb-03
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