TC/1919

Gardai asked to give evidence in Omagh case

THE judge in the multi-million pound Omagh bomb compensation case has identified 24 Garda officers he wants to take evidence from in the Irish Republic, he has announced.
Mr. Justice Morgan also ordered a formal request to be made to the judicial authorities in Dublin, for then-help in securing the testimonies sought.
He plans to cross the border to head up a special commission, where the officers could give details on the alleged involvement within the Real IRA, of five men being sued by relatives of the Omagh victims.
Even though the Irish Government has said it will allow gardai to tell what they know about the planning and implementation of the August 1998 bomb atrocity which killed 29 people, it has been emphasised this assistance depended on hearings being held in the Republic.
Under those arrangements, public interest immunity rights could be involved.
In his ruling at the High Court in Belfast, Mr. Justice Morgan referred to the uncertainty over the level of co-operation available from the Irish authorities in providing witnesses.
But he also stressed how public interest immunity issues may prevent Garda officers coming north to testify at the trial, which is due to begin on April 7.
The judge said: "I am satisfied, therefore, that it is necessary in the interests of justice, to make the order sought in respect of the 24 identified witnesses".
The £14 million civil action has been taken by the Omagh families against jailed Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt, and four other men, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna.
They claim the officers could give details on the Real IRA and its leadership, and corroborate the evidence of David Rupert, the FBI spy who helped convict McKevitt.
Details of interviews and alleged admissions involving some of the defendants could also be backed by the gardai, the families believe.