IN/0911

All five bombing trial defendants 'knew or knew of each other'

MICHAEL MCKEVITT (58) The alleged leader of the Real IRA is currently awaiting a judgement in an appeal against conviction in the Republic for directing terrorism.
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on August 6, 2003.
LIAM CAMPBELL (43) has been held in Portlaoise Prison in the Republic on terrorism charges unconnected with the Omagh bombing. He was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty at a second trial, having successfully appealed an earlier conviction in December 2001.
COLM MURPHY (56) was first convicted in 1972 and served two years in jail. Four years later he was convicted of IRA membership. In July 1983 a New York court convicted him of arms offences, sentencing him to five years and a £10,000 fine. He was sentenced to 14 years in the Republic in 2002 for conspiracy to cause the Omagh explosion but the conviction was overturned on appeal and he is awaiting retrial.
SEAMUS DALY was convicted in March 2004 of being a member of the Real IRA. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. He was described in court yesterday as "a foot soldier of the Real IRA".
SEAMUS MCKENNA was convicted in 2004 of unlawful possession of explosives and sentenced to six years in prison. He too was described as a foot soldier of the Real IRA".
All five men lived in the Dundalk area at the time of the bombing and according to Lord Brennan all "knew or knew of each other".
Bimpe Fatogun