OMAGH BOMBERS 'MEANT TO KILL'
Omagh bombers 'meant to kill'
THE dissident republicans who bombed the heart out of Omagh, killing 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, meant to kill. The claim was made by prosecuting QC Gordon Kerr at the Belfast Crown Court trial of 37-year-old south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey. Mr Kerr's claim came in answer to a defence call for the trial of Hoey, from Molly Road, Jonesborough to be aborted and for him to be acquitted of all 58 charges including the Omagh bomb murders.
The prosecution lawyer told Mr Justice Weir that the warnings given about the August 1998 Omagh bombing were vague, misleading inaccurate and wrong, unlike the warnings given for other bombing that year in Lisburn, Armagh, Newry and Banbridge.
Mr Kerr claimed the motive behind those issuing the warnings was calculated to mislead the police and so cause the carnage it did and showed also their callous and blatant disregard for shoppers lives that busy summer's day.
The lawyer began by contrasting the warnings given at the earlier bomb attacks, starting with Lisburn in April that year.
He demonstrated that the warnings, ten in all, given for Lisburn were concise and accurate, setting out not only the location, bomb size, vehicle used, but also the time available before any possible explosion.
Mr Kerr said that in this case given the number of calls made and the type of information supplied, it would be hard for any prosecutor to stand up in court and argue those involved intended to kill.
Turning to the Newry Road, Armagh attack the following month, Mr Kerr said although two warning calls were made, the bomb parked outside the local police station had already been spotted and the alarm raised. He added that the attack on Newry Courthouse was somewhat similar in that the carbomb, stood out like a sore thumb and that the four telephoned warnings again clearly set out the location and make of vehicle used.
Mr Kerr however, conceded that the bomb in Banbridge, the one preceding Omagh, was different as it had exploded and did create a risk to the public.
But the lawyer added there were three distinct warning calls to the police setting out not only the accurate location, but also a description of the car bomb itself, a red Cavalier.
However, when considering Omagh, said Mr Kerr nothing like this was done when the warning calls were made, and the question had to be asked why the bombers didn't?
Mr Kerr claimed the Omagh bombers had clear and accurate information because the timing given for the bomb to explode was correct.
The lawyer further claimed that if the bombers' intention was simply to destroy property they could have given the authorities more time, and provided them with an accurate location and description of the car-bomb itself.
The trial continues today by which time Mr Kerr is expected to complete his submissions.
THE dissident republicans who bombed the heart out of Omagh, killing 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, meant to kill. The claim was made by prosecuting QC Gordon Kerr at the Belfast Crown Court trial of 37-year-old south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey. Mr Kerr's claim came in answer to a defence call for the trial of Hoey, from Molly Road, Jonesborough to be aborted and for him to be acquitted of all 58 charges including the Omagh bomb murders.
The prosecution lawyer told Mr Justice Weir that the warnings given about the August 1998 Omagh bombing were vague, misleading inaccurate and wrong, unlike the warnings given for other bombing that year in Lisburn, Armagh, Newry and Banbridge.
Mr Kerr claimed the motive behind those issuing the warnings was calculated to mislead the police and so cause the carnage it did and showed also their callous and blatant disregard for shoppers lives that busy summer's day.
The lawyer began by contrasting the warnings given at the earlier bomb attacks, starting with Lisburn in April that year.
He demonstrated that the warnings, ten in all, given for Lisburn were concise and accurate, setting out not only the location, bomb size, vehicle used, but also the time available before any possible explosion.
Mr Kerr said that in this case given the number of calls made and the type of information supplied, it would be hard for any prosecutor to stand up in court and argue those involved intended to kill.
Turning to the Newry Road, Armagh attack the following month, Mr Kerr said although two warning calls were made, the bomb parked outside the local police station had already been spotted and the alarm raised. He added that the attack on Newry Courthouse was somewhat similar in that the carbomb, stood out like a sore thumb and that the four telephoned warnings again clearly set out the location and make of vehicle used.
Mr Kerr however, conceded that the bomb in Banbridge, the one preceding Omagh, was different as it had exploded and did create a risk to the public.
But the lawyer added there were three distinct warning calls to the police setting out not only the accurate location, but also a description of the car bomb itself, a red Cavalier.
However, when considering Omagh, said Mr Kerr nothing like this was done when the warning calls were made, and the question had to be asked why the bombers didn't?
Mr Kerr claimed the Omagh bombers had clear and accurate information because the timing given for the bomb to explode was correct.
The lawyer further claimed that if the bombers' intention was simply to destroy property they could have given the authorities more time, and provided them with an accurate location and description of the car-bomb itself.
The trial continues today by which time Mr Kerr is expected to complete his submissions.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0825
Published Date: 19-Dec-06
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