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Omagh families want Lockerbie style court
By ALAN MURRAY

Spain asked to try accused if fair trial move upheld
THE Spanish Government has been asked to set up a Lockerbie-style court to try the Omagh bombers - if they convince a Dublin court that they can't receive fair trials in Ireland because of media publicity. One man charged in connection with the bombing has already brought proceedings against BBC's Panorama programme, which asked a number of republicans to account for their movements on the days leading up to the bombing - in which 29 people were killed. Relatives of a number of the victims of the bombing, last week requested the Spanish ambassador to Dublin, Senor Enrique Pastor, ask his government to consider the possibility of setting up a court like the one established in the Netherlands to try two Libyan suspects accused of the bombing of the Pan Am plane destroyed over Lockerbie.
Two Spanish citizens died in the Real IRA bombing in Omagh in August 1998 and eleven were injured.
Michael Gallagher, whose son, Adrian, was one of the 29 killed in the attack, said yesterday that the issue was raised because relatives were determined not to allow the perpetrators to escape justice. Said Mr Gallagher: "We are anxious that no matter what tactic is employed in defence of any of the people involved rn the bombing there is a legitimate remedy to overcome the obstacle.
"If people who are charged with offences relating to the bombing were to successfully argue in court that they couldn't receive a fair trial in Ireland or Britain because of the Panorama programme, or any other media publicity, then we have to look at the alternatives."
And he added: "We would be happy to see the trial of the bombers take place in Spain or any other democratic country and the ambassador said he would convey the suggestion to his government."
During last week's meeting, Mr Gallagher said Senor Pastor described the relatives of the victims of the bombing as "the real freedom fighters - people without guns and bombs".
The Omagh relatives' group also met the British ambassador to Dublin, Sir Ivor Roberts, last week.
They thanked him for raising funds for the Omagh Victims Legal Trust, which aims to raise £1m before August to launch civil actions against
the suspected bombers.
Donations to the fund should be sent to Henry Hepworth Organisation, 5 John Street, Holborn, London, WC1N 2HH.