ANGRY SCENES AS WRITS ARE SERVED ON OMAGH BOMB SUSPECTS
Angry scenes as writs are served on Omagh bomb suspects
BY JOHN McCUSKER
LAWYERS acting for a number of the Omagh bomb families have served writs on five Real IRA suspects believed to have been behind the atrocity of four years ago.
Documents formally accusing the five of involvement in the bomb attack were served on three men currently being held at Portlaoise Prison, while a further two writs were sent to the homes of the other two suspects.
The five defendants named in the documents were Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell and Colm Murphy who are in Portlaoise and Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna.
This week Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group, thanked members of the public who had contributed to the campaign which could pave the way for a landmark legal case against those allegedly behind the attack.
Mr Gallagher, father of 21-year-old victim Adrian, said, in the absence of any prosecutions of the bombers, families were relieved that they had now reached a point where some legal action could be taken.
He said: "It has been a long, hard campaign over the last 18 months and this at least gives us some hope.
"A lot of good people swung in behind our campaign to raise the money we need to mount a civil action including prominent people like Peter Mandelson, Sir Bob Geldof, Barry McGuigan and Eddie Irvine.
"But the vast majority of the money raised has come from ordinary people across Britain and Ireland. They have empowered the families to do what we are doing and we are thankful."
Mr Gallagher said families had received a "wonderful boost" to their morale when it emerged that they were in a position to pursue the alleged bombers through the civil courts. If the case were to succeed, he said, it would be "a powerful tool" for many victims of terrorism worldwide,
"We are coming up to the fourth anniversary of the bomb and the families have had to endure a lot of pressure and a very public grief.
"We have all had to deal with the failure to prosecute anyone the difficulties with the flawed police investigation and the fallout between the Ombudsman's office and the then Chief Constable.
"This for us will be one of those times of better news over the past four years."
Meanwhile, it has emerged that assets belonging to the five accused may have been disposed of in- advance of the civil action.
Those issued with the writs were: Colm Murphy, of Ravensdale, Dundalk, Co Louth who was jailed for 14 years for conspiring to cause the Omagh attack. The 49-year-old publican and builder is the only person to date to be charged in connection with the atrocity.
Michael McKevitt, 51, from Dundalk, who is currently being held in Portlaoise Prison charged with membership of an illegal organisation and directing its activities Seamus Daly, 32, who was named during Murphy's trial as being an alleged Real IRA member who had received a mobile phone from Murphy which had been used during the attack on Omagh.
Liam Campbell, a 38-year-old farmer from Dundalk, who is currently on remand in Portlaoise.
Seamus McKenna, a former employee of Murphy, who is alleged to have used one of the mobile phones on the day of the bombing.
In August of last year, lawyers acting for a number of the Omagh families went to Belfast High Court and issued writs against the five named and the Real IRA claiming 'damages as a result of the explosion of a bomb at Omagh town centre on 15 August 1998 for which the defendants and each of them are responsible.'
Members of nine families were named as plaintiffs.
Following the serving of the writs, a court hearing in Belfast will follow which will enable lawyers acting for the families to produce evidence which they believe connects the suspects to the bomb attack.
Although the families have raised enough money to launch the proceedings, relatives have appealed for more help in raising sufficient funds to see the case through the courts.
BY JOHN McCUSKER
LAWYERS acting for a number of the Omagh bomb families have served writs on five Real IRA suspects believed to have been behind the atrocity of four years ago.
Documents formally accusing the five of involvement in the bomb attack were served on three men currently being held at Portlaoise Prison, while a further two writs were sent to the homes of the other two suspects.
The five defendants named in the documents were Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell and Colm Murphy who are in Portlaoise and Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna.
This week Michael Gallagher, chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group, thanked members of the public who had contributed to the campaign which could pave the way for a landmark legal case against those allegedly behind the attack.
Mr Gallagher, father of 21-year-old victim Adrian, said, in the absence of any prosecutions of the bombers, families were relieved that they had now reached a point where some legal action could be taken.
He said: "It has been a long, hard campaign over the last 18 months and this at least gives us some hope.
"A lot of good people swung in behind our campaign to raise the money we need to mount a civil action including prominent people like Peter Mandelson, Sir Bob Geldof, Barry McGuigan and Eddie Irvine.
"But the vast majority of the money raised has come from ordinary people across Britain and Ireland. They have empowered the families to do what we are doing and we are thankful."
Mr Gallagher said families had received a "wonderful boost" to their morale when it emerged that they were in a position to pursue the alleged bombers through the civil courts. If the case were to succeed, he said, it would be "a powerful tool" for many victims of terrorism worldwide,
"We are coming up to the fourth anniversary of the bomb and the families have had to endure a lot of pressure and a very public grief.
"We have all had to deal with the failure to prosecute anyone the difficulties with the flawed police investigation and the fallout between the Ombudsman's office and the then Chief Constable.
"This for us will be one of those times of better news over the past four years."
Meanwhile, it has emerged that assets belonging to the five accused may have been disposed of in- advance of the civil action.
Those issued with the writs were: Colm Murphy, of Ravensdale, Dundalk, Co Louth who was jailed for 14 years for conspiring to cause the Omagh attack. The 49-year-old publican and builder is the only person to date to be charged in connection with the atrocity.
Michael McKevitt, 51, from Dundalk, who is currently being held in Portlaoise Prison charged with membership of an illegal organisation and directing its activities Seamus Daly, 32, who was named during Murphy's trial as being an alleged Real IRA member who had received a mobile phone from Murphy which had been used during the attack on Omagh.
Liam Campbell, a 38-year-old farmer from Dundalk, who is currently on remand in Portlaoise.
Seamus McKenna, a former employee of Murphy, who is alleged to have used one of the mobile phones on the day of the bombing.
In August of last year, lawyers acting for a number of the Omagh families went to Belfast High Court and issued writs against the five named and the Real IRA claiming 'damages as a result of the explosion of a bomb at Omagh town centre on 15 August 1998 for which the defendants and each of them are responsible.'
Members of nine families were named as plaintiffs.
Following the serving of the writs, a court hearing in Belfast will follow which will enable lawyers acting for the families to produce evidence which they believe connects the suspects to the bomb attack.
Although the families have raised enough money to launch the proceedings, relatives have appealed for more help in raising sufficient funds to see the case through the courts.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1042
Published Date: 01-Aug-02
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