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Families' claim unlikely to be defended

A MULTI-million pound court claim by families of the Omagh bomb victims is unlikely be de-fended following yesterday's decision by lawyers to pull out of the case.
Frank O'Donoghue, QC, who had been representing Michael McKevitt, leader of the Real IRA which planted the bomb, applied in the High Court to "come off record" the legal term for terminating any connection with a client.
The lawyer told Mr Justice Morgan, who has taken charge of the £14 million case, that McKevitt was without means and had been refused legal aid.
"There is no way in which the defence of this case can be funded," said Mr O'Donoghue.
The judge granted the application.
Lawyers for four other men named as defendants in the case had earlier ended their representation.
A legal source said the only possibility of any of them being legally represented is if the judge decides that an issue which might arise during a preliminary hearing or at the actual trial would require lawyers to ensure a fair trial.
Last month McKevitt, 54, from Blackrock, Co Louth, lost a judicial review challenging the refusal of legal aid of £1 million.
He was jailed for 20 years in Dublin last year for membership of the RIRA which carried out the 1998 bombing in which 29 people were killed and dozens were injured.