OMAGH THE FIVE ACCUSED
OMAGH: THE FIVE ACCUSED
DISILLUSIONED by the failure of police on both sides of the border to put those responsible for the Omagh bomb behind bars, families of the dead took matters into their own hands.In an unprecedented move - on the eve of the third anniversary of the atrocity last year - they issued writs against those they suspected of involvement. And on Friday, they took their legal action one step further, by serving writs on these five men:
COLM MURPHY - He is the only person to have been convicted in connection with the massacre on August 15 1998, which killed 29 innocent people and unborn twin babies.
The father-of-four is serving a 14 year jail term in Portlaoise, for conspiracy to cause the explosion.
His trial judge described him as a "republican terrorist of long standing, having been convicted of a series of offences of this nature both in this state and the United States."
MICHAEL MCKEVITT - He is awaiting trail in the Republic, on charges of belonging to an unlawful organisation and directing its activities.
The 51-year-old has no previous terrorist record.
He is married to Bernadette, the sister of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, who is a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee.
LIAM CAMPELL - The 38-year-old farmer was jailed last October by Dublin's Special Criminal Court for membership of an illegal organisation.
At his trial, a Garda Special Branch detective described him as "a committed officer" of a paramilitary group.
He was sentenced to five years.
SEAMUS DALY - He was named during Colm Murphy's trial as the man who received mobile phones, used on the day of the bomb.
A builder by trade, he was arrested twice by police, but was released after saying nothing.
He was named as a suspect during a TV investigation into the Omagh atrocity.
SEAMUS MCKENNA - Lawyers acting for the Omagh families believe he also used one of the mobile phones handed over by Colm Murphy.
Phone calls, made on the day of the bombing, form a central plank of the case taken by the plaintiffs.
DISILLUSIONED by the failure of police on both sides of the border to put those responsible for the Omagh bomb behind bars, families of the dead took matters into their own hands.In an unprecedented move - on the eve of the third anniversary of the atrocity last year - they issued writs against those they suspected of involvement. And on Friday, they took their legal action one step further, by serving writs on these five men:
COLM MURPHY - He is the only person to have been convicted in connection with the massacre on August 15 1998, which killed 29 innocent people and unborn twin babies.
The father-of-four is serving a 14 year jail term in Portlaoise, for conspiracy to cause the explosion.
His trial judge described him as a "republican terrorist of long standing, having been convicted of a series of offences of this nature both in this state and the United States."
MICHAEL MCKEVITT - He is awaiting trail in the Republic, on charges of belonging to an unlawful organisation and directing its activities.
The 51-year-old has no previous terrorist record.
He is married to Bernadette, the sister of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, who is a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee.
LIAM CAMPELL - The 38-year-old farmer was jailed last October by Dublin's Special Criminal Court for membership of an illegal organisation.
At his trial, a Garda Special Branch detective described him as "a committed officer" of a paramilitary group.
He was sentenced to five years.
SEAMUS DALY - He was named during Colm Murphy's trial as the man who received mobile phones, used on the day of the bomb.
A builder by trade, he was arrested twice by police, but was released after saying nothing.
He was named as a suspect during a TV investigation into the Omagh atrocity.
SEAMUS MCKENNA - Lawyers acting for the Omagh families believe he also used one of the mobile phones handed over by Colm Murphy.
Phone calls, made on the day of the bombing, form a central plank of the case taken by the plaintiffs.
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/132
Published Date: 28-Jul-02
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