OMAGH FAMILIES VOW TO CARRY ON WITH CIVIL ACTION
Omagh families vow to carry on with civil action
FAMILIES of the Omagh bomb victims have vowed to continue their civil action against those allegedly involved in the 1998 atrocity - despite almost half the families originally involved in the multi-million pound case pulling out.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the blast, said the civil case against alleged Real IRA leaders Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna, would not be deterred.
Mr Gallagher, the chairman of Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, was speaking after another family, that of 36-year-old Esther Gibson, withdrew last week, citing the stress caused by the long delays in getting the case to trial.
It is understood that the family of another victim, Samantha McFarland, withdrew some time ago.
Promising to continue the quest for justice, Mr Gallagher said: "I think it is disappointing that they (the Gibsons) have decided to withdraw, but I think that this has been a long, drawn out process, and people do become very frustrated. But there are still a considerable number of people involved in the action, and we are still committed and our lawyers are still committed."
"People have dropped out before, but there are at least seven families still involved, and as far as we are concerned this is not the end of the process," he added.
Ms Gibson was killed after going into Omagh to be photographed with her fiancee Kenneth, whom she was due to marry the following year.
Her brothers and sisters joined the civil action in 2001, but it was four years until proceedings opened, and since then they have been dogged by delay. Indeed, the trial is not expected to begin properly until January 2008 at the earliest.
In statements submitted to Belfast High Court, the Gibson family cited the stress of long delays in getting to trial as the main reasons for their withdrawal. They also said that they believe the authorities north and south of the border have conspired to prevent the matter ever getting to trial, and that they had no confidence in the action.
This latest setback comes, as it appears that a verdict will be delivered this week on the criminal trial of Sean Hoey - the only man charged with the bombing - before the courts close in September.
Mr Gallagher said the lengthy delays were taking their toll, but urged families to persevere.
He said: "It is disappointing that it has taken this amount of time. We in Omagh are getting ready to commemorate our ninth anniversary, and everything surrounding the Omagh bomb seems to take a very long time, including criminal proceedings. No one has been charged with murder at Omagh, and the Prime Minister who promised us justice, Tony Blair, has resigned."
Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed by the bomb, said it was a 'personal choice' for the Gibson family to withdraw.
The Omagh bomb in August 1998 was the largest single atrocity in Northern Ireland's history.
The real IRA car bomb, which devastated the centre of the town, killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
Meanwhile, Mr Gallagher has reiterated his call for a full cross-border public inquiry into the Omagh bomb.
He said he was 'alarmed' about talk emanating from Dublin and other quarters that the past should be let go.
He said: "It's very disturbing these comments coming from highly-placed people saying 'Don't question the past'. It's the same with the new Police Ombudsman.
"There seems to be a broad consensus from those who have not suffered that those who have should just move on. These delays might be a symptom of that thinking."
FAMILIES of the Omagh bomb victims have vowed to continue their civil action against those allegedly involved in the 1998 atrocity - despite almost half the families originally involved in the multi-million pound case pulling out.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the blast, said the civil case against alleged Real IRA leaders Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna, would not be deterred.
Mr Gallagher, the chairman of Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, was speaking after another family, that of 36-year-old Esther Gibson, withdrew last week, citing the stress caused by the long delays in getting the case to trial.
It is understood that the family of another victim, Samantha McFarland, withdrew some time ago.
Promising to continue the quest for justice, Mr Gallagher said: "I think it is disappointing that they (the Gibsons) have decided to withdraw, but I think that this has been a long, drawn out process, and people do become very frustrated. But there are still a considerable number of people involved in the action, and we are still committed and our lawyers are still committed."
"People have dropped out before, but there are at least seven families still involved, and as far as we are concerned this is not the end of the process," he added.
Ms Gibson was killed after going into Omagh to be photographed with her fiancee Kenneth, whom she was due to marry the following year.
Her brothers and sisters joined the civil action in 2001, but it was four years until proceedings opened, and since then they have been dogged by delay. Indeed, the trial is not expected to begin properly until January 2008 at the earliest.
In statements submitted to Belfast High Court, the Gibson family cited the stress of long delays in getting to trial as the main reasons for their withdrawal. They also said that they believe the authorities north and south of the border have conspired to prevent the matter ever getting to trial, and that they had no confidence in the action.
This latest setback comes, as it appears that a verdict will be delivered this week on the criminal trial of Sean Hoey - the only man charged with the bombing - before the courts close in September.
Mr Gallagher said the lengthy delays were taking their toll, but urged families to persevere.
He said: "It is disappointing that it has taken this amount of time. We in Omagh are getting ready to commemorate our ninth anniversary, and everything surrounding the Omagh bomb seems to take a very long time, including criminal proceedings. No one has been charged with murder at Omagh, and the Prime Minister who promised us justice, Tony Blair, has resigned."
Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed by the bomb, said it was a 'personal choice' for the Gibson family to withdraw.
The Omagh bomb in August 1998 was the largest single atrocity in Northern Ireland's history.
The real IRA car bomb, which devastated the centre of the town, killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins.
Meanwhile, Mr Gallagher has reiterated his call for a full cross-border public inquiry into the Omagh bomb.
He said he was 'alarmed' about talk emanating from Dublin and other quarters that the past should be let go.
He said: "It's very disturbing these comments coming from highly-placed people saying 'Don't question the past'. It's the same with the new Police Ombudsman.
"There seems to be a broad consensus from those who have not suffered that those who have should just move on. These delays might be a symptom of that thinking."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1887
Published Date: 12-Jul-07
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