UH10An/45

Harrowing inquest held at Omagh Leisure Centre in 2000
BY JOHN MCCUSKER
j.mccusker@ulsterherald.com

THE inquest into the deaths of the bomb victims was always going to be a harrowing ordeal for the families and those involved in the tragedy and its aftermath.
Held at Omagh Leisure Centre throughout the month of September 2000 - just over two years after the attack - it examined detailed analysis of the botched warning, the emergency services' response and how each of the victims met their death.
The largest inquest of its kind ever held in the North, it cost somewhere in the region of £1.5 million to set up and administer. The Leisure Centre was adapted with technology similar to the Bloody Sunday Saville Inquiry, with private rooms set aside for families and a bank of 60 trauma counsellors on hand throughout.
The inquest heard forensic evidence about the make-up of the bomb. Up to 440lbs of home-made explosive had been packed into the boot of the Vauxhall Cavalier. The bomb was made up of ammonium nitrate, fertiliser and sugar and a three-foot long piece of scaffolding acted as a booster unit.
Parts of the bomb were found among the 13 skips, 17 wheelie bins and 11 flip-top bins of debris removed from the scene. After the explosion shrapnel from the blast was found in Scotts Feeds which was 300 metres from the scene. Other debris was blown into Campsie Avenue and Campsie Crescent which were 200 metres away.
The inquest opened with a scrutiny of the three telephone warning calls which were described as "totally inaccurate." Using the recognised codeword 'Martha Pope,' the calls to UTV and The Samaritans made reference to a bomb exploding at 'Main Street' in Omagh, some distance from the courthouse. There was no such street in the town and the Omagh police officer to whom the call was relayed told the inquest, "When the courthouse was mentioned, I thought that was the target."
Police and eyewitnesses gave evidence of arriving at the scene. Photos and videos showing graphic detail of the aftermath of the explosion were also shown.
By the second week, families were bracing themselves to hear evidence of how each individual victim died.
An army doctor gave evidence of finding a number of bodies buried beneath the rubble. He pronounced 20 dead and one body part and the victims were all laid out in a nearby arcade and a shop further up Market Street.
Police officers gave evidence of evacuating shops from the Courthouse to Watterson's drapers. One officer described how he lifted the burning engine block off a girl trapped beneath it. Other police officers ran to Boots chemist to grab nappies and other absorbents to act as dressings.
One constable described how he drove 14 miles from Carrickmore to Omagh in 12 minutes after learning of the incident. He gave evidence of coming across bodies - one decapitated - which he covered with a sign before continuing on to help others.
A video shot by Fintona man Patsy McElhatton was shown to a shocked room. It showed the dead and wounded among the smoke, dust and rubble while rescuers searched frantically for victims buried. A total of three separate videos were screened.
As proceedings continued, Coroner John Lecky dismissed an appeal to call Omagh councillor and 32 County Sovereignty Movement member Francie Mackey to give evidence.
Meanwhile Marion Radford, who lost her teenage son Alan in the explosion, defended the need for graphic evidence to be broadcast.
The inquest also heard how many of the victims had died outright and would not have known what had happened. It was also told that medical attention could not have prevented the huge loss of life.
Supt James Baxter was briefly overcome as he defended the way his officers had responded. The inquest heard that officers had put their own life at risk dealing with the incident.
Surgeon Dominic Pinto told of the scenes of 'sheer pandemonium' which greeted him in the wards and corridors of Tyrone County Hospital. Wards resembled a major disaster of battlefield proportions, he added.
Michael Mansfield QC, representing the family of Libby Rushe, questioned the procedure of police on the day and questioned them on their evacuation procedures on the day.
A separate inquest was held in Omagh Courthouse on October 5 into the death of Buncrana schoolboy James Barker.