IN/0718

Deadline given for Omagh civil suit

FIVE men being sued by Omagh bomb victims are to be given a four-week deadline to bring in a new legal team, it emerged yesterday. Although lawyers for Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt and the other defendants have pulled out, the £14 million civil action by relatives of those killed in the bombing is proceeding. In a hearing at the High Court yesterday, barristers for the families taking the landmark case pressed for access to papers on criminal trials involving the five in the Republic.
But before Mr Justice Morgan makes any ruling on the request, he signalled his intention to offer the men a solicitor, senior and junior counsel providing legal advice. Although he will wait until barrister Brett Lockhart, for the Omagh families, consults with senior Lord Brennan QC, the move is expected to be made in court tomorrow. It was suggested that the men should be given until February 3 to respond. If the offer is rejected, Mr Justice Morgan may ask the Attorney General to become involved to ensure there is no contempt of court in any request to obtain papers from another jurisdiction. McKevitt, (54) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2003 for running the Real IRA, the organisation which murdered 29 people and unborn twins in the 1998 Omagh atrocity. But after he lost a battle last year for legal aid to defend himself against the civil action, his barrister said it was impossible for them to defend the action. Lawyers for the other four men, Seamus Daly, Seamus McKenna, Liam Campbell and Colm Murphy, have also ended their representation. After Mr Lockhart expressed concern over any further delays in getting the case started, Mr Morgan insisted it was vital to get it right.
"Even though they're not here, if there's an obligation on this court to ensure the defendants have legal representation on this issue it's important they have it," he said.