OMAGH COUNCILLOR ASKED TO ATTEND BOMB INQUEST
Coroner asked to call on Omagh councillor to attend bomb inquest
Relatives of victims call for 32 County chairman to give evidence
Omagh District Councillor Francis Mackey and Colm Murphy the only man charged in connection with the Omagh bomb should be called as inquest witnesses, victims' representative Michael Gallagher urged yesterday.
Mr Gallagher appealed to the coroner to hear evidence from the councillor and Dundalk publican Murphy, who is on bail after appearing in Dublin's Special Criminal Court.
At a preliminary hearing in Omagh courthouse yesterday, Coroner John Leckey took what many see as a landmark decision to give solicitors prior disclosure of maps, photos and witness statements relating to the Real IRA explosion which killed 29 people two years ago.
Families representing themselves will also have access to some documentation, to be made available at 2pm on Friday, allowing them an opportunity to prepare questions in advance of next week's inquest.
There were fears the inquest, due to start on Wednesday, could be delayed if a legal application to the court for prior disclosure of evidence were rejected.
But the Greater Belfast coroner exercised his discretion and agreed to the application on the basis that "the international dimension of the tragedy and the large number of witnesses who will give evidence" gave rise to special circumstances.
Even if the inquest goes ahead at Omagh Leisure Complex as scheduled, there is a suggestion bereaved families may call for an adjournment after opening. The sheer scale of documentation before them - there are 154 witness statements alone - may make it impossible for some people to be fully prepared.
Chairman of Omagh Self-Help Group Mr Gallagher, father to bomb victim Adrian, told the court "Looking at the list of witnesses a number of the families feel there are two people who could add something to the enquiry.
"The first one is Francis Mackey, chairman of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee. Colm Murphy is the only person charged in connection with the Omagh bomb. Francis Mackey is the chairman of the 32 County group, which I am sure everybody agrees is inextricably linked to the Real IRA, and it would be useful if that individual could be called and some clarification given as to the nature and status of the organisation he represents."
Mr Gallagher was due today (Thursday) to make a statement to police outlining the reasons why families believe it would be useful to call
Murphy and Mackey.
It is understood the coroner has the right to subpoena witnesses.
Mr Gallagher welcomed the Coroner's decision to disclose evidence in advance but he believed freedom of information was "a right and not a privilege".
He added afterwards "I want to confer with the other families involved before making a statement. It's important that we agree on the reasons why these two individuals would have something to add to what happened in Omagh.
"'There are other people out there with a lot more information and knowledge to give. We're coming up to the Court House two years on for an inquest when we should really be talking about a proper trial."
Solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn from Buncrana. Co Donegal, representing Oran Doherty (8) and Sean McLaughlin (12) - told the coroner he needed prior disclosure to do his job properly.
Questions that needed to be answered included why the police allowed a bus load of children and Spanish students from Buncrana to park in the town 20 minutes after the 2.30pm bomb warning, he said.
Mr MacLochlainn made a case for documentation on the basis that he wanted to give his clients the chance to advise him on questions they needed answering ranging from their loved ones' last words to whether they felt pain before they died.
A solicitor from the recently formed Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was due to back his application arguing the coroner had the right to exercise discretion but Mr Leckey made his decision before the submission was heard.
The commission's solicitor Karen Quinlivan asked for their support to go on the record. Her written submission had contended that the inquest should be conducted in a way that made it "accessible to the families of the victims".
Documentation would be provided piecemeal as the inquest got under way. making life difficult for the families, unless there was prior disclosure of evidence, according to Ms Quinlivan's submission.
Many relatives of the bomb victims were in court for the hearing, including Stanley McCombe who lost his wife Ann. Mark Breslin whose wife Geraldine was killed and Godfrey Wilson and his wife Ann, whose daughter Lorraine was among the dead. From Buncrana were John McLaughlin and Michael Doherty, fathers to Sean and Oran.
Relatives of victims call for 32 County chairman to give evidence
Omagh District Councillor Francis Mackey and Colm Murphy the only man charged in connection with the Omagh bomb should be called as inquest witnesses, victims' representative Michael Gallagher urged yesterday.
Mr Gallagher appealed to the coroner to hear evidence from the councillor and Dundalk publican Murphy, who is on bail after appearing in Dublin's Special Criminal Court.
At a preliminary hearing in Omagh courthouse yesterday, Coroner John Leckey took what many see as a landmark decision to give solicitors prior disclosure of maps, photos and witness statements relating to the Real IRA explosion which killed 29 people two years ago.
Families representing themselves will also have access to some documentation, to be made available at 2pm on Friday, allowing them an opportunity to prepare questions in advance of next week's inquest.
There were fears the inquest, due to start on Wednesday, could be delayed if a legal application to the court for prior disclosure of evidence were rejected.
But the Greater Belfast coroner exercised his discretion and agreed to the application on the basis that "the international dimension of the tragedy and the large number of witnesses who will give evidence" gave rise to special circumstances.
Even if the inquest goes ahead at Omagh Leisure Complex as scheduled, there is a suggestion bereaved families may call for an adjournment after opening. The sheer scale of documentation before them - there are 154 witness statements alone - may make it impossible for some people to be fully prepared.
Chairman of Omagh Self-Help Group Mr Gallagher, father to bomb victim Adrian, told the court "Looking at the list of witnesses a number of the families feel there are two people who could add something to the enquiry.
"The first one is Francis Mackey, chairman of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee. Colm Murphy is the only person charged in connection with the Omagh bomb. Francis Mackey is the chairman of the 32 County group, which I am sure everybody agrees is inextricably linked to the Real IRA, and it would be useful if that individual could be called and some clarification given as to the nature and status of the organisation he represents."
Mr Gallagher was due today (Thursday) to make a statement to police outlining the reasons why families believe it would be useful to call
Murphy and Mackey.
It is understood the coroner has the right to subpoena witnesses.
Mr Gallagher welcomed the Coroner's decision to disclose evidence in advance but he believed freedom of information was "a right and not a privilege".
He added afterwards "I want to confer with the other families involved before making a statement. It's important that we agree on the reasons why these two individuals would have something to add to what happened in Omagh.
"'There are other people out there with a lot more information and knowledge to give. We're coming up to the Court House two years on for an inquest when we should really be talking about a proper trial."
Solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn from Buncrana. Co Donegal, representing Oran Doherty (8) and Sean McLaughlin (12) - told the coroner he needed prior disclosure to do his job properly.
Questions that needed to be answered included why the police allowed a bus load of children and Spanish students from Buncrana to park in the town 20 minutes after the 2.30pm bomb warning, he said.
Mr MacLochlainn made a case for documentation on the basis that he wanted to give his clients the chance to advise him on questions they needed answering ranging from their loved ones' last words to whether they felt pain before they died.
A solicitor from the recently formed Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was due to back his application arguing the coroner had the right to exercise discretion but Mr Leckey made his decision before the submission was heard.
The commission's solicitor Karen Quinlivan asked for their support to go on the record. Her written submission had contended that the inquest should be conducted in a way that made it "accessible to the families of the victims".
Documentation would be provided piecemeal as the inquest got under way. making life difficult for the families, unless there was prior disclosure of evidence, according to Ms Quinlivan's submission.
Many relatives of the bomb victims were in court for the hearing, including Stanley McCombe who lost his wife Ann. Mark Breslin whose wife Geraldine was killed and Godfrey Wilson and his wife Ann, whose daughter Lorraine was among the dead. From Buncrana were John McLaughlin and Michael Doherty, fathers to Sean and Oran.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1428
Published Date: 31-Aug-00
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