RENEWED HOPE FOR OMAGH RELATIVES IN BATTLE FOR JUSTICE
Renewed hope' for Omagh relatives in their battle for justice as Real IRA chief jailed for 20 years
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims have been given 'renewed hope' and 'further incentive' in their battle for justice, after Real IRA chief, Michael McKevitt, was sentenced to 20-years imprisonment for directing terrorism.
The trial of Michael McKevitt, held at Dublin Special Criminal Court, ended on Wednesday last when the jury found him guilty of directing the dissident republican organisation which was behind the 1998 Omagh bomb atrocity, which took the lives of 29 people and unborn twins.
The 20-year sentence was delivered shortly after lunchtime on Thursday of last week at the Special Criminal Court by Mr Justice Richard Johnson.
McKevitt, aged 53, was also given six years for membership of the Real IRA, although this is to run concurrently.
The leading terror boss is the first person to be convicted of directing terrorism in the Irish Republic, and he will serve his time with 40 other Real IRA inmates at Portlaoise jail, where fallout between him and another top terrorist, Liam Campbell, has left the organisation bitterly divided.
However, it later emerged that McKevitt could serve as little as 13 years of the sentence, leaving him to walk free in early 2016.
He is entitled to up to 25 per cent good behaviour remission on his sentence, which is backdated to the time of his arrest.
Describing the sentence as "a clear message" to others involved in terrorist activities, Michael Gallagher, of Omagh Self Help and Support Group, whose 21-year-old son, Aidan, was among those killed in the explosion, said: "We are very happy that this man has been brought before the court and dealt with.
"I strongly hope that this will be a clear message to others involved in terrorist activities to make no mistake in thinking that they won't be caught, because this is where they will end up."McKevitt was given 20 years and personally I think he should serve every second of it, just as we the victims' relatives have been enduring a sentence without remission," he said.
'Disappointed'
Mr Gallagher added that he was disappointed that the legislation enabling Michael McKevitt's prosecution, which was drawn up in August 1999, was not made retrospective to include the Omagh bombing.
"The legislation was introduced because of the Omagh bomb, so it is strange that it did not include the bomb.
"He has technically escaped justice for the Omagh bomb, but it was obvious from the evidence given during the trial that he was involved," he added.
"This was a small victory for us and we are grateful, but we will continue our fight for justice," he said.
Also speaking on the decision, Victor Barker, the English solicitor whose 12-year-old son, James, was killed in the atrocity, said he "felt sorry" for the children of the Real IRA leader.
"My only reaction is that someone involved in terrorism and who continues to carry out terrorist acts with total disregard for human life must face the consequences," said Mr Barker.
"There are a lot of different opinions on the judgment and I have my own personal opinion on it - but it was the responsibility of the judge involved to pass sentence and I don't want to say whether that sentence is a right or wrong one.
"McKevitt will have to live with the sentence, as will his family, and it is his children I feel sorry for most," he said.
'Appeal'
When the sentence was passed, McKevitt, who is married to Bernadette Sands - the sister of IRA hunger striker, Bobby Sands - declared: "I would like to appeal".
McKevitt, who was wearing a striped blue v-necked sweater and light trousers, was refused permission to mount an appeal by the three sitting judges after he failed to explain the reason why.
McKevitt, who had boycotted the court for some time claiming he had been denied a fair trial, was also told that his sentence would run from the time he was arrested in March 2001.
It is now understood that he has two weeks in which to take his case to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Passing the sentence, Mr Justice Johnson, said McKevitt played a leading role in the Real IRA.
The court was satisfied that the offences for which McKevitt was convicted were "planned and premeditated' and caused "serious harm to people and property."
The three judges had contemplated a 25-year sentence on the directing charge, Mr Justice Johnson added.
The court pointed to the Real IRA's objectives, which were "to destabilise the peace process and to change its status by force."
But they held back from this, stressing that he must have the chance of rehabilitation.
'Naming'
Following the sentencing, Omagh bomb victims are now to consider naming McKevitt's wife, Bernadette Sands McKevitt, in connection with their legal action against a number of people they allege are behind the Omagh atrocity.
During the trial of McKevitt, the court heard star witness infiltrator, David Rupert, say that he was given a chain of command of republicans loyal to the Real IRA to report to.
Mrs. McKevitt, he told the court, was number three behind her husband and Liam Campbell.
During his evidence before the court, Mr Rupert said: "I was to report to him (McKevitt) as number one, Liam Campbell as number two and Bernadette (Sands McKevitt) as number three."
She could now be included in the Omagh victims' legal action against alleged masterminds behind the bomb.
A high-powered legal team has been employed by the families to sue Michael McKevitt (53), Liam Campbell, (38), Colm Murphy, (51), Seamus McKenna, (49) and 33-year-old Seamus Daly.
Technically no new names can be included in the legal action as more than three years have passed since the August 1998 bombing, but Mr Gallagher, said he was exploring legal methods of including Mrs. McKevitt.
"We did not name her initially as our lawyers did not believe they could gather enough evidence against her," explained Mr Gallagher.
"We only had three years from the bombing to file our papers, but I think we can look at this as an exception.
"We have to prove that we only became aware last week that Mrs. McKevitt was the third person in the chain of command," he said.
RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims have been given 'renewed hope' and 'further incentive' in their battle for justice, after Real IRA chief, Michael McKevitt, was sentenced to 20-years imprisonment for directing terrorism.
The trial of Michael McKevitt, held at Dublin Special Criminal Court, ended on Wednesday last when the jury found him guilty of directing the dissident republican organisation which was behind the 1998 Omagh bomb atrocity, which took the lives of 29 people and unborn twins.
The 20-year sentence was delivered shortly after lunchtime on Thursday of last week at the Special Criminal Court by Mr Justice Richard Johnson.
McKevitt, aged 53, was also given six years for membership of the Real IRA, although this is to run concurrently.
The leading terror boss is the first person to be convicted of directing terrorism in the Irish Republic, and he will serve his time with 40 other Real IRA inmates at Portlaoise jail, where fallout between him and another top terrorist, Liam Campbell, has left the organisation bitterly divided.
However, it later emerged that McKevitt could serve as little as 13 years of the sentence, leaving him to walk free in early 2016.
He is entitled to up to 25 per cent good behaviour remission on his sentence, which is backdated to the time of his arrest.
Describing the sentence as "a clear message" to others involved in terrorist activities, Michael Gallagher, of Omagh Self Help and Support Group, whose 21-year-old son, Aidan, was among those killed in the explosion, said: "We are very happy that this man has been brought before the court and dealt with.
"I strongly hope that this will be a clear message to others involved in terrorist activities to make no mistake in thinking that they won't be caught, because this is where they will end up."McKevitt was given 20 years and personally I think he should serve every second of it, just as we the victims' relatives have been enduring a sentence without remission," he said.
'Disappointed'
Mr Gallagher added that he was disappointed that the legislation enabling Michael McKevitt's prosecution, which was drawn up in August 1999, was not made retrospective to include the Omagh bombing.
"The legislation was introduced because of the Omagh bomb, so it is strange that it did not include the bomb.
"He has technically escaped justice for the Omagh bomb, but it was obvious from the evidence given during the trial that he was involved," he added.
"This was a small victory for us and we are grateful, but we will continue our fight for justice," he said.
Also speaking on the decision, Victor Barker, the English solicitor whose 12-year-old son, James, was killed in the atrocity, said he "felt sorry" for the children of the Real IRA leader.
"My only reaction is that someone involved in terrorism and who continues to carry out terrorist acts with total disregard for human life must face the consequences," said Mr Barker.
"There are a lot of different opinions on the judgment and I have my own personal opinion on it - but it was the responsibility of the judge involved to pass sentence and I don't want to say whether that sentence is a right or wrong one.
"McKevitt will have to live with the sentence, as will his family, and it is his children I feel sorry for most," he said.
'Appeal'
When the sentence was passed, McKevitt, who is married to Bernadette Sands - the sister of IRA hunger striker, Bobby Sands - declared: "I would like to appeal".
McKevitt, who was wearing a striped blue v-necked sweater and light trousers, was refused permission to mount an appeal by the three sitting judges after he failed to explain the reason why.
McKevitt, who had boycotted the court for some time claiming he had been denied a fair trial, was also told that his sentence would run from the time he was arrested in March 2001.
It is now understood that he has two weeks in which to take his case to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
Passing the sentence, Mr Justice Johnson, said McKevitt played a leading role in the Real IRA.
The court was satisfied that the offences for which McKevitt was convicted were "planned and premeditated' and caused "serious harm to people and property."
The three judges had contemplated a 25-year sentence on the directing charge, Mr Justice Johnson added.
The court pointed to the Real IRA's objectives, which were "to destabilise the peace process and to change its status by force."
But they held back from this, stressing that he must have the chance of rehabilitation.
'Naming'
Following the sentencing, Omagh bomb victims are now to consider naming McKevitt's wife, Bernadette Sands McKevitt, in connection with their legal action against a number of people they allege are behind the Omagh atrocity.
During the trial of McKevitt, the court heard star witness infiltrator, David Rupert, say that he was given a chain of command of republicans loyal to the Real IRA to report to.
Mrs. McKevitt, he told the court, was number three behind her husband and Liam Campbell.
During his evidence before the court, Mr Rupert said: "I was to report to him (McKevitt) as number one, Liam Campbell as number two and Bernadette (Sands McKevitt) as number three."
She could now be included in the Omagh victims' legal action against alleged masterminds behind the bomb.
A high-powered legal team has been employed by the families to sue Michael McKevitt (53), Liam Campbell, (38), Colm Murphy, (51), Seamus McKenna, (49) and 33-year-old Seamus Daly.
Technically no new names can be included in the legal action as more than three years have passed since the August 1998 bombing, but Mr Gallagher, said he was exploring legal methods of including Mrs. McKevitt.
"We did not name her initially as our lawyers did not believe they could gather enough evidence against her," explained Mr Gallagher.
"We only had three years from the bombing to file our papers, but I think we can look at this as an exception.
"We have to prove that we only became aware last week that Mrs. McKevitt was the third person in the chain of command," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1622
Published Date: 14-Aug-03
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