FARMER CAN CHALLENGE OMAGH BOMB LIABILITY
Farmer 'can challenge Omagh bomb liability'
AN ALLEGED Real IRA leader who took no part in the Omagh bomb civil action still has a right to challenge a finding that he was liable for the atrocity, the Court of Appeal has heard.
Counsel for Liam Campbell defended his participation after it emerged lawyers for the victims' families are set to call into question Campbell's entitlement.
Campbell (47), a farmer from Upper Faughart. Dundalk, Co Louth, was one of four men held responsible in a landmark ruling for the August 1998 outrage which killed 29 people. Including the mother of unborn twins, and injured hundreds more.
Twelve relatives of some of those murdered in the blast were awarded combined damages of more than �I.6 million.
Senior counsel for the relatives, Lord Brennan. yesterday said that he planned to raise Issues about Campbell's right to appeal due to his no-show at the original hearing.
But a barrister representing the suspected dissident republican chief, who is fighting attempts to have him extradited to Lithuania over an alleged arms smuggling plot, rejected claims that he had shown no interest.
Brian Fee QC. defending, told the court that Campbell was only unrepresented in the civil action because he was denied legal aid funding. Although no-one has ever been convicted in a criminal court of causing the Omagh murders. Campbell was found liable along with Michael McKevitt, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly. McKevitt. who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for directing terrorism, was said to be at the top end of the Real IRA.
Murphy, a builder and publican from Dudlalk. Co Louth, and Daly, a builder from Cullavllle, Co Monaghan, were also held liable due to evidence linking them to the phones used in the bomb run.
The appeal, which is due to continue for two weeks, continues.
AN ALLEGED Real IRA leader who took no part in the Omagh bomb civil action still has a right to challenge a finding that he was liable for the atrocity, the Court of Appeal has heard.
Counsel for Liam Campbell defended his participation after it emerged lawyers for the victims' families are set to call into question Campbell's entitlement.
Campbell (47), a farmer from Upper Faughart. Dundalk, Co Louth, was one of four men held responsible in a landmark ruling for the August 1998 outrage which killed 29 people. Including the mother of unborn twins, and injured hundreds more.
Twelve relatives of some of those murdered in the blast were awarded combined damages of more than �I.6 million.
Senior counsel for the relatives, Lord Brennan. yesterday said that he planned to raise Issues about Campbell's right to appeal due to his no-show at the original hearing.
But a barrister representing the suspected dissident republican chief, who is fighting attempts to have him extradited to Lithuania over an alleged arms smuggling plot, rejected claims that he had shown no interest.
Brian Fee QC. defending, told the court that Campbell was only unrepresented in the civil action because he was denied legal aid funding. Although no-one has ever been convicted in a criminal court of causing the Omagh murders. Campbell was found liable along with Michael McKevitt, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly. McKevitt. who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for directing terrorism, was said to be at the top end of the Real IRA.
Murphy, a builder and publican from Dudlalk. Co Louth, and Daly, a builder from Cullavllle, Co Monaghan, were also held liable due to evidence linking them to the phones used in the bomb run.
The appeal, which is due to continue for two weeks, continues.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/1043
Published Date: 13-Jan-11
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