TIME FOR THE TRUTH
TIME FOR THE TRUTH
Omagh relative takes case to Euro human rights court
THE campaigning husband of an Omagh bomb victim says he intends to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Widower Laurence Rush says he is going to the European Court in a bid to force the British and Irish governments to reveal the truth about the 1998 Real IRA attack, which claimed 29 lives.
Mr Rush says matters came to a head following continuing attempts by the Irish authorities to prevent him attending the ongoing trial of Michael McKevitt.
Mr Rush has travelled regularly to the high-profile Dublin trial, and interrupted proceedings to highlight the fact that none of the charges put to McKevitt relate to Omagh.
As charges of directing terrorism and membership of a proscribed organisation were being put to 51-year-old McKevitt, Mr Rush interrupted and asked the judge why the 1998 Omagh bomb atrocity had been omitted from the legal proceedings.
Mr Rush, whose wife Libby died in the attack, claims the charges have been carefully constructed to ensure they were all post-Omagh 1998.
"There was total silence after I spoke," he said.
"Nobody said a word. There was no response from anyone."
But Mr Rush said that, following his remarks, Garda officers threatened to evict him from the court unless he remained silent.
"One Garda officer came over to me and said: 'How would it look to the public if we arrested you?'
"Gardai warn me, each time I enter the courtroom," he added.
At another point in the trial, Mr Rush, who was in the public gallery, shouted at McKevitt: "What about disclosure in 1998? You are nothing but scum."
Of his plan to go to the European Court, he said: "The British and Irish governments have adopted a deliberate policy of procrastination over the Omagh bomb.
"Both governments have information which they are deliberately withholding from the public domain.
Omagh relative takes case to Euro human rights court
THE campaigning husband of an Omagh bomb victim says he intends to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Widower Laurence Rush says he is going to the European Court in a bid to force the British and Irish governments to reveal the truth about the 1998 Real IRA attack, which claimed 29 lives.
Mr Rush says matters came to a head following continuing attempts by the Irish authorities to prevent him attending the ongoing trial of Michael McKevitt.
Mr Rush has travelled regularly to the high-profile Dublin trial, and interrupted proceedings to highlight the fact that none of the charges put to McKevitt relate to Omagh.
As charges of directing terrorism and membership of a proscribed organisation were being put to 51-year-old McKevitt, Mr Rush interrupted and asked the judge why the 1998 Omagh bomb atrocity had been omitted from the legal proceedings.
Mr Rush, whose wife Libby died in the attack, claims the charges have been carefully constructed to ensure they were all post-Omagh 1998.
"There was total silence after I spoke," he said.
"Nobody said a word. There was no response from anyone."
But Mr Rush said that, following his remarks, Garda officers threatened to evict him from the court unless he remained silent.
"One Garda officer came over to me and said: 'How would it look to the public if we arrested you?'
"Gardai warn me, each time I enter the courtroom," he added.
At another point in the trial, Mr Rush, who was in the public gallery, shouted at McKevitt: "What about disclosure in 1998? You are nothing but scum."
Of his plan to go to the European Court, he said: "The British and Irish governments have adopted a deliberate policy of procrastination over the Omagh bomb.
"Both governments have information which they are deliberately withholding from the public domain.
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/153
Published Date: 27-Jul-03
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