INFORMER MAY APPEAR FOR DEFENCE IN OMAGH BOMB TRIAL
Informer may appear for defence in Omagh bomb trial
THE former police informant, who claimed that his warnings about the Omagh bomb were ignored, has said that he will be prepared to appear as a defence witness in the trial of the only man facing charges in relation to the atrocity.
Kevin Fulton, a former IRA bomb-maker, claimed he had told his police handlers that an attack was imminent, but no intervention had been made. It is thought that his evidence may be used to cast doubt on prosecution claims that Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, Co Armagh, was the only man capable of making the 500-pound car bomb that killed 29 people in Omagh on August 15 1998.
The trial of Hoey, who was charged with 29 counts of murder and 32 other explosives and terrorism offences on May 26, 2005, is due to begin in Belfast on September 6, and has the potential to be the biggest murder trial in British legal history.
Fulton is understood to have met with Peter Corrigan, Hoey's Belfast-based lawyer, at the London office of British Irish Rights Watch, and that he has indicated he would be willing to appear in Hoey's defence, if subpoenaed.
It is thought he may insist on being subpoenaed to appear as a witness, fearing that he might endanger his good relations with the families of the Omagh bereaved, if he is seen to cooperate willingly with a man accused of the bombing.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, whose son, Aiden, died in the Omagh blast, has said that he has no objection to Fulton appearing for the defence.
He said: "I would like Hoey to have the best possible defence, because if he is convicted the verdict will be all the safer for that. I don't want a verdict where there is doubt. So if there are any doors that his defence team want to kick open, I certainly have no objection.
"Fulton is free to do whatever he thinks fit and I will not fall out with him. He was the first to open the door on Omagh; he let us know a lot more than we would otherwise have known."
THE former police informant, who claimed that his warnings about the Omagh bomb were ignored, has said that he will be prepared to appear as a defence witness in the trial of the only man facing charges in relation to the atrocity.
Kevin Fulton, a former IRA bomb-maker, claimed he had told his police handlers that an attack was imminent, but no intervention had been made. It is thought that his evidence may be used to cast doubt on prosecution claims that Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, Co Armagh, was the only man capable of making the 500-pound car bomb that killed 29 people in Omagh on August 15 1998.
The trial of Hoey, who was charged with 29 counts of murder and 32 other explosives and terrorism offences on May 26, 2005, is due to begin in Belfast on September 6, and has the potential to be the biggest murder trial in British legal history.
Fulton is understood to have met with Peter Corrigan, Hoey's Belfast-based lawyer, at the London office of British Irish Rights Watch, and that he has indicated he would be willing to appear in Hoey's defence, if subpoenaed.
It is thought he may insist on being subpoenaed to appear as a witness, fearing that he might endanger his good relations with the families of the Omagh bereaved, if he is seen to cooperate willingly with a man accused of the bombing.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, whose son, Aiden, died in the Omagh blast, has said that he has no objection to Fulton appearing for the defence.
He said: "I would like Hoey to have the best possible defence, because if he is convicted the verdict will be all the safer for that. I don't want a verdict where there is doubt. So if there are any doors that his defence team want to kick open, I certainly have no objection.
"Fulton is free to do whatever he thinks fit and I will not fall out with him. He was the first to open the door on Omagh; he let us know a lot more than we would otherwise have known."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1843
Published Date: 31-Aug-06
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