OMAGH TRIAL OFFER FROM EX-INFORMER
Omagh trial offer from ex-informer
BY IAN STARRETT
i.starrett@newsletter.co.uk
FORMER police informer Kevin Fulton has said that he is prepared to give evidence at the trial of the man accused of the Real IRA bombing of Omagh.
It emerged yesterday that Fulton, who has claimed that the security forces ignored advance warnings of the car-bomb atrocity, is prepared to appear as a defence witness in the trial of Sean Hoey, 36, from Jonesborough, Co Armagh, who has been committed for trial for the murders of 29 people killed in the August 1998 massacre.
The prosecution of Hoey, who faces 61 terrorist and explosive charges which he denies, is due to open in Belfast on September 6 and Fulton has said that he would be happy to appear as a witness at the trial if he was subpoenaed.
Michael Gallagher, father of Aidan who was killed in the Real IRA atrocity, said that he would have no objection if Fulton gave evidence.
Kevin Fulton has already told Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan that he had warned his police handler that he had seen another bomb-maker, referred to as Man A, mixing explosives shortly before the Omagh bombing. There have been suggestions that Man A was also an informer who was protected by the authorities.
It's felt that evidence from Fulton could be used to cast doubt on a prosecution claim, made at committal proceedings, that the detonation system of the Omagh bomb was manufactured using methods distinctive to Hoey.
It is understood that Fulton, a former IRA bomb-maker, has met Hoey's Belfast lawyer Peter Corrigan, at the London offices of human rights group British Irish Rights Watch.
BY IAN STARRETT
i.starrett@newsletter.co.uk
FORMER police informer Kevin Fulton has said that he is prepared to give evidence at the trial of the man accused of the Real IRA bombing of Omagh.
It emerged yesterday that Fulton, who has claimed that the security forces ignored advance warnings of the car-bomb atrocity, is prepared to appear as a defence witness in the trial of Sean Hoey, 36, from Jonesborough, Co Armagh, who has been committed for trial for the murders of 29 people killed in the August 1998 massacre.
The prosecution of Hoey, who faces 61 terrorist and explosive charges which he denies, is due to open in Belfast on September 6 and Fulton has said that he would be happy to appear as a witness at the trial if he was subpoenaed.
Michael Gallagher, father of Aidan who was killed in the Real IRA atrocity, said that he would have no objection if Fulton gave evidence.
Kevin Fulton has already told Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan that he had warned his police handler that he had seen another bomb-maker, referred to as Man A, mixing explosives shortly before the Omagh bombing. There have been suggestions that Man A was also an informer who was protected by the authorities.
It's felt that evidence from Fulton could be used to cast doubt on a prosecution claim, made at committal proceedings, that the detonation system of the Omagh bomb was manufactured using methods distinctive to Hoey.
It is understood that Fulton, a former IRA bomb-maker, has met Hoey's Belfast lawyer Peter Corrigan, at the London offices of human rights group British Irish Rights Watch.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/656
Published Date: 28-Aug-06
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