BUILDER GUILTY ON OMAGH BOMB CHARGE
Builder guilty on Omagh Bomb charge
By Olga Bradshaw
Families 'delighted' at verdict, but say more prosecutions needed
COLM MURPHY, the only person so far charged in connection with the bombing of Omagh three years ago, is today behind bars in the Republic of Ireland, waiting to hear what sentence he will receive from the Special Criminal Court in Dublin tomorrow (Friday).
Murphy, who is 49 and has been described as a wealthy publican and contractor, faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment from the three-judge panel that convicted him of conspiring to cause the explosion.
The conviction came after a hearing lasting 25days, and has been greeted with quiet relief by people locally. They have now called for renewed efforts by the authorities to secure further convictions in the interests of justice for those killed, injured and bereaved.
Meanwhile, members of Murphy's family have slammed the conviction as "a joke" and "a political decision", and said the case should have been thrown out a long time ago.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Victims' Group, said he was delighted that, after three years, the families finally had a conviction, and added that, hopefully, it would be the first of many to come.
"He [Murphy] is, obviously from the details that emerged from the case, not the only one involved. We hope this will be the beginning of the end and that others will be brought to justice who were involved in this crime," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said that people in the town were very sad that they had to wait so long, and their feelings would be compounded if Murphy did not get a sentence that reflected the severity of the crime committed against the people of Omagh.
"If he gets three years all I can say is that we have waited three years to hear this verdict we have served the same sentence.
"Regardless of how long or how short a sentence he gets we have been given a life sentence and our loved ones have already received the death sentence, so whatever he receives it will be a lot less than he and others inflicted upon us," Mr. Gallagher added.
The bereaved father said that the jail term imposed had to be sufficient to punish Murphy as well as sending out a strong message to others involve in terrorist activity that they would be dealt with by courts in a very severe way.
Delighted
Meanwhile, speaking less than 10 minutes after the Special Criminal Court in Dublin came back with its guilty verdict, the wife of the support and self-help group chairman, Mrs. Patsy Gallagher, said that she was delighted with the news.
"Just delighted is all I can say. A last they have got somebody. We are delighted. The fact that they have got one should make it easier to get the rest of them," she said.
"Murphy knows who he gave the telephone to. I think they should get them all behind bars and let them see that crime does not pay," the mother of the late Adrian Gallagher said.
Mrs. Gallagher continued: "I am just happy to be quite honest. I thought he might get off you always think the worst. But it has made my day to just know that.
"It's a start. There's one down and the rest to go or that's the way is should be anyway," she said.
Vice-chairman of the group, Mr. Stanley McCombe, said he was simply "just glad he has been found guilty".
Mr. Laurence Rush, whose wife and soulmate, Libbi, died in the bombing, attended the hearing, and afterwards said he had now gone into a softer sadness away from the anger he had felt since August 15, 1998.
"I feel that a crack has opened and I do not think that we will have to wait too long before we see justice done.
"I genuinely believe the Real IRA is now in disarray - there's plenty of evidence linking them, and many individuals, to Omagh," he said.
Start
Meanwhile, Mr. Kevin Skelton, whose wife Mena died while he was in another shop in the town, said the verdict was the start of a long journey, and until such times as all those responsible for the bombing were behind bars, he did not think people's lives could move on.
"We try to move on, but I want justice for my wife, my children and all the people who died," he said.
And former Detective Chief Superintendent Eric Anderson, who headed the RUC's Omagh investigation, commented: "I am delighted for the relatives. It is a great result for them, particularly at the present time and it is also a great result for the Garda. They achieved this conviction with help from the RUC."
Rev. Kevin Mullan, who was the first cleric in the town to stop and render aid to the injured and dying after the massive bomb exploded, said that the people had been appealing to others to have a change of mind and resist acts of violence, and hopefully the conviction would symbolise a 'plug' and that people could now move on to times without violence.
UUP Assemblyman Mr. Derek Hussey said he welcomed the guilty verdict on Murphy, and congratulated the Gardai on their achievement.
"Others have been linked by this court case and I trust that they will now be similarly investigated and pursued through the courts to ensure that all involved in the August 15 atrocity are brought to justice," he said.
Mr. Hussey's SDLP counterpart, Mr. Joe Byrne, also welcomed the verdict.
"It is certainly to be welcomed that someone has been duly tried and convicted in relation to the Omagh bombing. However, it is of concern that not all those what must have been involved have been held to account. There is a need for renewed vigour in pursuing those that are believed to have been involved with the bombing of Omagh," he said.
Mr. Byrne, who lives, in the town, continued: "There is still a continuing need for maximum security co-operation between the police services, north and south, in order to bring a sense of justice to the Omagh families and the community at large. This is still a continuing and compelling requirement."
By Olga Bradshaw
Families 'delighted' at verdict, but say more prosecutions needed
COLM MURPHY, the only person so far charged in connection with the bombing of Omagh three years ago, is today behind bars in the Republic of Ireland, waiting to hear what sentence he will receive from the Special Criminal Court in Dublin tomorrow (Friday).
Murphy, who is 49 and has been described as a wealthy publican and contractor, faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment from the three-judge panel that convicted him of conspiring to cause the explosion.
The conviction came after a hearing lasting 25days, and has been greeted with quiet relief by people locally. They have now called for renewed efforts by the authorities to secure further convictions in the interests of justice for those killed, injured and bereaved.
Meanwhile, members of Murphy's family have slammed the conviction as "a joke" and "a political decision", and said the case should have been thrown out a long time ago.
Mr. Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Victims' Group, said he was delighted that, after three years, the families finally had a conviction, and added that, hopefully, it would be the first of many to come.
"He [Murphy] is, obviously from the details that emerged from the case, not the only one involved. We hope this will be the beginning of the end and that others will be brought to justice who were involved in this crime," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said that people in the town were very sad that they had to wait so long, and their feelings would be compounded if Murphy did not get a sentence that reflected the severity of the crime committed against the people of Omagh.
"If he gets three years all I can say is that we have waited three years to hear this verdict we have served the same sentence.
"Regardless of how long or how short a sentence he gets we have been given a life sentence and our loved ones have already received the death sentence, so whatever he receives it will be a lot less than he and others inflicted upon us," Mr. Gallagher added.
The bereaved father said that the jail term imposed had to be sufficient to punish Murphy as well as sending out a strong message to others involve in terrorist activity that they would be dealt with by courts in a very severe way.
Delighted
Meanwhile, speaking less than 10 minutes after the Special Criminal Court in Dublin came back with its guilty verdict, the wife of the support and self-help group chairman, Mrs. Patsy Gallagher, said that she was delighted with the news.
"Just delighted is all I can say. A last they have got somebody. We are delighted. The fact that they have got one should make it easier to get the rest of them," she said.
"Murphy knows who he gave the telephone to. I think they should get them all behind bars and let them see that crime does not pay," the mother of the late Adrian Gallagher said.
Mrs. Gallagher continued: "I am just happy to be quite honest. I thought he might get off you always think the worst. But it has made my day to just know that.
"It's a start. There's one down and the rest to go or that's the way is should be anyway," she said.
Vice-chairman of the group, Mr. Stanley McCombe, said he was simply "just glad he has been found guilty".
Mr. Laurence Rush, whose wife and soulmate, Libbi, died in the bombing, attended the hearing, and afterwards said he had now gone into a softer sadness away from the anger he had felt since August 15, 1998.
"I feel that a crack has opened and I do not think that we will have to wait too long before we see justice done.
"I genuinely believe the Real IRA is now in disarray - there's plenty of evidence linking them, and many individuals, to Omagh," he said.
Start
Meanwhile, Mr. Kevin Skelton, whose wife Mena died while he was in another shop in the town, said the verdict was the start of a long journey, and until such times as all those responsible for the bombing were behind bars, he did not think people's lives could move on.
"We try to move on, but I want justice for my wife, my children and all the people who died," he said.
And former Detective Chief Superintendent Eric Anderson, who headed the RUC's Omagh investigation, commented: "I am delighted for the relatives. It is a great result for them, particularly at the present time and it is also a great result for the Garda. They achieved this conviction with help from the RUC."
Rev. Kevin Mullan, who was the first cleric in the town to stop and render aid to the injured and dying after the massive bomb exploded, said that the people had been appealing to others to have a change of mind and resist acts of violence, and hopefully the conviction would symbolise a 'plug' and that people could now move on to times without violence.
UUP Assemblyman Mr. Derek Hussey said he welcomed the guilty verdict on Murphy, and congratulated the Gardai on their achievement.
"Others have been linked by this court case and I trust that they will now be similarly investigated and pursued through the courts to ensure that all involved in the August 15 atrocity are brought to justice," he said.
Mr. Hussey's SDLP counterpart, Mr. Joe Byrne, also welcomed the verdict.
"It is certainly to be welcomed that someone has been duly tried and convicted in relation to the Omagh bombing. However, it is of concern that not all those what must have been involved have been held to account. There is a need for renewed vigour in pursuing those that are believed to have been involved with the bombing of Omagh," he said.
Mr. Byrne, who lives, in the town, continued: "There is still a continuing need for maximum security co-operation between the police services, north and south, in order to bring a sense of justice to the Omagh families and the community at large. This is still a continuing and compelling requirement."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0994
Published Date: 24-Jan-02
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