LAST STEP OMAGH CIVIL ACTION BEGINS TODAY
Last step' Omagh bomb civil action begins today
CIVIL legal action against dissident republicans accused of plotting the most lethal bomb of the Northern Ireland conflict begins today in Belfast.
A number of relatives of 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, killed in the dissident republican Real IRA attack on Omagh in 1998 have issued the writ against five men they claim are responsible.
The massive car bomb left dead and injured scattered around the main street of the Co Tyrone town.
Nobody has been convicted but named on today's action are alleged Real IRA figures Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell and Michael McKevitt as well as Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden died, said it was "the last step in the Omagh process".
"We are not aware of any pending proceedings, either civil or criminal," Mr Gallagher said.
"As far as the families are concerned, and it is going to be difficult coming so soon after the trial of Sean Hoey, but we are confident in our legal team and we put our trust in the courts."
Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, south Armagh, was cleared of involvement in Omagh on December 20 last.
There have been more than 35 High Court hearings, three Court of Appeal hearings and two applications to the House of Lords about the explosion.
Families have had to wait until all criminal prosecutions were concluded in case their action prejudiced any trial.
Part of the trial will be relocated to Dublin in a historic step to allow gardai to give evidence.
CIVIL legal action against dissident republicans accused of plotting the most lethal bomb of the Northern Ireland conflict begins today in Belfast.
A number of relatives of 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, killed in the dissident republican Real IRA attack on Omagh in 1998 have issued the writ against five men they claim are responsible.
The massive car bomb left dead and injured scattered around the main street of the Co Tyrone town.
Nobody has been convicted but named on today's action are alleged Real IRA figures Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell and Michael McKevitt as well as Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden died, said it was "the last step in the Omagh process".
"We are not aware of any pending proceedings, either civil or criminal," Mr Gallagher said.
"As far as the families are concerned, and it is going to be difficult coming so soon after the trial of Sean Hoey, but we are confident in our legal team and we put our trust in the courts."
Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, south Armagh, was cleared of involvement in Omagh on December 20 last.
There have been more than 35 High Court hearings, three Court of Appeal hearings and two applications to the House of Lords about the explosion.
Families have had to wait until all criminal prosecutions were concluded in case their action prejudiced any trial.
Part of the trial will be relocated to Dublin in a historic step to allow gardai to give evidence.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0908
Published Date: 07-Apr-08
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