FAMILIES THREATEN TO SUE BBC SUSPECTS
Families threaten to sue BBC suspects
By ROSETTA DONNELLY
FAMILIES of those killed in the Omagh bomb are considering taking a civil court action against the people named in the BBC Panorama documentary.
The bereaved families are meeting shortly to look at the possibility of suing those named, and believe that if they cannot bring them to a criminal court they could do it in a civil court.
The type of lawsuit the Omagh Self Help and Support Group has in mind is something similar to that of the OJ Simpson murder case. The American football player was accused of murdering his wife but was acquitted. But a year later a civil action was brought by his wife's family which succeeded.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the group said "We feel that these people have to be held responsible in some manner and in some cases there could be a better chance of success in a civil rather than a criminal case.
"We are looking at this and other options including having them tried as war criminals for what happened in Omagh." The town of Omagh was divided this week over the screening of the controversial BBC Panorama programme on Monday evening which named four people it believed were connected to the Omagh bomb.
Many local people believe the naming of the people in the documentary 'Who bombed Omagh?' may shed some light on the police investigation by prompting someone to come forward with vital evidence.
On the other hand, the programme has been slated for naming names as it is feared this could jeopardise a future court trial of the bombers and ultimately see them walk to freedom.
A husband of one of the victims of the bomb, Laurence Rush took to the programme makers to the High Court in a bid to stop it being aired.
However the judge gave the BBC the go-ahead to screen the programme just three hours before it was due to go out.
He also rejected appeals by the Human Rights Commission not to let the programme go ahead.
Laurence Rush has berated the judge's decision which he claimed was not based on legal consideration. "The judge retired to view the film and returned three hours later and gave what was an opinion, not a point of law on what should happen" he said.
Panorama presented a possible reconstruction of the bombers' journey to Omagh with the bomb and their getaway after they left it in a thronged Market Street.
It used mobile phone records to trace the movements from one mobile phone mast to another as a scout car and the bomb car made its way from Co Louth to Omagh and back again.
The programme claimed the car used by the bombers was stolen to order for the Real IRA in Carrickmacross. It alleged fifteen people were involved in assembling the bomb for two days somewhere along the border with south Armagh.
The four men named in the documentary include two men who are facing charges in the Republic.
Colm Murphy from Dundalk is charged with conspiring to cause an explosion between 14 - 16th August, 1998. Liam Campbell also from Dundalk was charged with membership of an illegal republican organisation. Campbell appeared at Dublin Criminal Court on Tuesday of this week where he was remanded in custody.
The programme also included interviews with the families of those killed and showed footage on the aftermath of the bomb which had not been previously shown.
Reaction to the programme has been swift and varied.
The people of Omagh are divided on the merits of the programme and there is the real fear that it has done more harm than good.
Those who are against it being screened feel that trial by media is a mistake and that it could ultimately result in those guilty of the atrocity never being convicted.
However, there were an equal number of people who believe that the programme did have merit. Many felt that not enough is being done by the RUC, the Gardai and the governments to bring the bombers to court and in the absence of a proper prosecution, then the programme had merit.
By ROSETTA DONNELLY
FAMILIES of those killed in the Omagh bomb are considering taking a civil court action against the people named in the BBC Panorama documentary.
The bereaved families are meeting shortly to look at the possibility of suing those named, and believe that if they cannot bring them to a criminal court they could do it in a civil court.
The type of lawsuit the Omagh Self Help and Support Group has in mind is something similar to that of the OJ Simpson murder case. The American football player was accused of murdering his wife but was acquitted. But a year later a civil action was brought by his wife's family which succeeded.
Michael Gallagher, chairman of the group said "We feel that these people have to be held responsible in some manner and in some cases there could be a better chance of success in a civil rather than a criminal case.
"We are looking at this and other options including having them tried as war criminals for what happened in Omagh." The town of Omagh was divided this week over the screening of the controversial BBC Panorama programme on Monday evening which named four people it believed were connected to the Omagh bomb.
Many local people believe the naming of the people in the documentary 'Who bombed Omagh?' may shed some light on the police investigation by prompting someone to come forward with vital evidence.
On the other hand, the programme has been slated for naming names as it is feared this could jeopardise a future court trial of the bombers and ultimately see them walk to freedom.
A husband of one of the victims of the bomb, Laurence Rush took to the programme makers to the High Court in a bid to stop it being aired.
However the judge gave the BBC the go-ahead to screen the programme just three hours before it was due to go out.
He also rejected appeals by the Human Rights Commission not to let the programme go ahead.
Laurence Rush has berated the judge's decision which he claimed was not based on legal consideration. "The judge retired to view the film and returned three hours later and gave what was an opinion, not a point of law on what should happen" he said.
Panorama presented a possible reconstruction of the bombers' journey to Omagh with the bomb and their getaway after they left it in a thronged Market Street.
It used mobile phone records to trace the movements from one mobile phone mast to another as a scout car and the bomb car made its way from Co Louth to Omagh and back again.
The programme claimed the car used by the bombers was stolen to order for the Real IRA in Carrickmacross. It alleged fifteen people were involved in assembling the bomb for two days somewhere along the border with south Armagh.
The four men named in the documentary include two men who are facing charges in the Republic.
Colm Murphy from Dundalk is charged with conspiring to cause an explosion between 14 - 16th August, 1998. Liam Campbell also from Dundalk was charged with membership of an illegal republican organisation. Campbell appeared at Dublin Criminal Court on Tuesday of this week where he was remanded in custody.
The programme also included interviews with the families of those killed and showed footage on the aftermath of the bomb which had not been previously shown.
Reaction to the programme has been swift and varied.
The people of Omagh are divided on the merits of the programme and there is the real fear that it has done more harm than good.
Those who are against it being screened feel that trial by media is a mistake and that it could ultimately result in those guilty of the atrocity never being convicted.
However, there were an equal number of people who believe that the programme did have merit. Many felt that not enough is being done by the RUC, the Gardai and the governments to bring the bombers to court and in the absence of a proper prosecution, then the programme had merit.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1504
Published Date: 12-Oct-00
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