BOMB HOAX AS TOWN MOURNS 29TH VICTIM
Bomb hoax as town mourns 29th victim
THE terror of the Omagh bomb was revisited on the town yesterday as worshippers mourned the death of yet another victim of the atrocity.
At noon today, the family of Sean McGrath, 61, will attend Requiem Mass for the 29th victim of the blast, who died on Saturday.
But, even as prayers were being said for the retired husband and father, the terror of the atrocity returned to the town in the form of a hoax bomb warning.
Three churches in the town centre were evacuated during morning service when police received the malicious call claiming a car bomb had been planted near the courthouse.
That was the supposed location of the bomb that shattered the town centre on August 15 and one worshipper said: "It was a terrible shock for all of us coming so soon after the bomb. Many of us had been in the town that day and everyone knew someone who had been killed or injured."
Police officers soon established that the call, which carried no codeword, was a hoax.
"We had to move very quickly in case the call was genuine, and after the last time you just didn't know if you were sending people into the wrong place again," said one officer.
"It's dreadful to think that there are people out there who would inflict something like this on Omagh, especially during their church services."
Mass for Mr McGrath will be said at St Mary's, Killyclogher, the same church where a service was held for Brian McCrory, who died in the blast.
Mr McGrath, who leaves a wife and four grown-up children, had been in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, since the explosion.
Ulster Unionist William Thompson said: "This just highlights the fact that the suffering is far from over, and indeed there are others who are still in danger and could lose their lives."
Independent Omagh councillor Paddy McGowan said Mr McGrath was "a decent and very generous gentleman, unassuming and charitable".
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam expressed her sadness at the death.
Meanwhile, a member of the Sentence Review Commission - set up to oversee the early release of terrorist prisoners has quit to devote more time to the victims of the Omagh blast.
David Bolton is director of community care and executive director of social work in the Sperrin Lakeland Health Trust. He co-ordinated the health and social services reaction to the bombing and is to lead the trust's community response.
THE terror of the Omagh bomb was revisited on the town yesterday as worshippers mourned the death of yet another victim of the atrocity.
At noon today, the family of Sean McGrath, 61, will attend Requiem Mass for the 29th victim of the blast, who died on Saturday.
But, even as prayers were being said for the retired husband and father, the terror of the atrocity returned to the town in the form of a hoax bomb warning.
Three churches in the town centre were evacuated during morning service when police received the malicious call claiming a car bomb had been planted near the courthouse.
That was the supposed location of the bomb that shattered the town centre on August 15 and one worshipper said: "It was a terrible shock for all of us coming so soon after the bomb. Many of us had been in the town that day and everyone knew someone who had been killed or injured."
Police officers soon established that the call, which carried no codeword, was a hoax.
"We had to move very quickly in case the call was genuine, and after the last time you just didn't know if you were sending people into the wrong place again," said one officer.
"It's dreadful to think that there are people out there who would inflict something like this on Omagh, especially during their church services."
Mass for Mr McGrath will be said at St Mary's, Killyclogher, the same church where a service was held for Brian McCrory, who died in the blast.
Mr McGrath, who leaves a wife and four grown-up children, had been in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, since the explosion.
Ulster Unionist William Thompson said: "This just highlights the fact that the suffering is far from over, and indeed there are others who are still in danger and could lose their lives."
Independent Omagh councillor Paddy McGowan said Mr McGrath was "a decent and very generous gentleman, unassuming and charitable".
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam expressed her sadness at the death.
Meanwhile, a member of the Sentence Review Commission - set up to oversee the early release of terrorist prisoners has quit to devote more time to the victims of the Omagh blast.
David Bolton is director of community care and executive director of social work in the Sperrin Lakeland Health Trust. He co-ordinated the health and social services reaction to the bombing and is to lead the trust's community response.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/284
Published Date: 08-Sep-98
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