OMAGH VICTIM TO JOIN OTHERS AT GROUND ZERO TO REMEMBER VICTIMS
Omagh victim to join others at Ground Zero to remember victims
By ADRIENNE McGILL
OMAGH victim Kevin Skelton will stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow victims of terrorism, as he attends the memorial service at Ground Zero for the victims of the September 11 atrocity.
He will join thousands of people in New York who are gathering today to share the pain and grief of losing loved ones, family members, friends and colleagues, in the World Trade Center attack.
Mr Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed in the Omagh massacre and whose daughter Shauna was badly injured, said he felt it was important to be in New York to share the families' sorrow.
"I want to show that we know exactly what the people of New York are going through. We have been through it for 30 years although their disaster was on a bigger scale.
"I saw the whole atrocity unfolding on television. I know exactly what it felt like having been in the street when the bomb went off in Omagh.
"It was on a smaller Scale but the devastation was the same. It wrecked lives. I can relate to what the families of the people who died are going through."
Mr Skelton said it would be an emotional day. Among the events taking place in New York will be a march to Ground Zero, led by bagpipers, which will culminate with a reading of each of the 2,823 names of those who perished in the attacks.
Mr Skelton said he also wanted to find out how the victims of the US terrorist atrocity had been treated by the American government in comparison to how the Omagh victims had been dealt with by the British Government.
"I want to know if the US government do things differently compared to how the British Government has been acting towards victims for over 30 years.
"I would like to meet some of the victims to talk to them and hear how they felt after the attack and how they feel today. I can tell them how I felt and the way I still feel four years on.
"It is important for me to be there. Omagh was our September 11. What makes it worse is that we were supposed to have peace in Northern Ireland."
By ADRIENNE McGILL
OMAGH victim Kevin Skelton will stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow victims of terrorism, as he attends the memorial service at Ground Zero for the victims of the September 11 atrocity.
He will join thousands of people in New York who are gathering today to share the pain and grief of losing loved ones, family members, friends and colleagues, in the World Trade Center attack.
Mr Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed in the Omagh massacre and whose daughter Shauna was badly injured, said he felt it was important to be in New York to share the families' sorrow.
"I want to show that we know exactly what the people of New York are going through. We have been through it for 30 years although their disaster was on a bigger scale.
"I saw the whole atrocity unfolding on television. I know exactly what it felt like having been in the street when the bomb went off in Omagh.
"It was on a smaller Scale but the devastation was the same. It wrecked lives. I can relate to what the families of the people who died are going through."
Mr Skelton said it would be an emotional day. Among the events taking place in New York will be a march to Ground Zero, led by bagpipers, which will culminate with a reading of each of the 2,823 names of those who perished in the attacks.
Mr Skelton said he also wanted to find out how the victims of the US terrorist atrocity had been treated by the American government in comparison to how the Omagh victims had been dealt with by the British Government.
"I want to know if the US government do things differently compared to how the British Government has been acting towards victims for over 30 years.
"I would like to meet some of the victims to talk to them and hear how they felt after the attack and how they feel today. I can tell them how I felt and the way I still feel four years on.
"It is important for me to be there. Omagh was our September 11. What makes it worse is that we were supposed to have peace in Northern Ireland."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/448
Published Date: 11-Sep-02
Related Images
