CONVICTIONS GIVE HOPE TO BOMB FAMILIES
Convictions give hope to bomb families
BY JOHN CARNEY
HARD as it is to believe, this year marked the fifth anniversary of the Omagh bomb. For those unaffected by the atrocity life continues, while for relatives of the deceased the quest for justice goes on.
This continued unabated in the past year, and a victory of sorts was achieved in January when the man convicted of conspiring to cause the Omagh bomb, Colm Murphy, was sentenced to 14 years in prison at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
In submissions to the court before sentencing, his barrister Michael O'Higgins said that Murphy, 49, maintained his innocence of the offence, and that his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.
On bail throughout his trial, Murphy was brought to the Special Criminal Court under heavy Garda and Army security.
Relatives of the victims of the bombing reacted to the jail sentence by spontaneously applauding for a few seconds as Mr Murphy was led away from the dock.
In a comment outside the court, Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the bombing, said his reaction was one of relief. Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife in the attack, said he wouldn't rest until everyone involved was behind bars.
MCKEVITT VERDICT
Then in August, Michael McKevitt, alleged leader of the dissident republican group the 'Real IRA' which carried out the Omagh bombing, was found guilty of directing terrorism and being a member of a proscribed organisation. He received a 20 year sentence. However, in delivering their verdict, a 44 page judgement, the three Special Court judges pointed out that the charges for which McKevitt was found guilty related to offences after the date of the Omagh at tack. No matter, it was still a positive step for the Omagh Self Help Group.
"A great step forward has been taken in the fight for justice for the victims of Omagh," Victor Barker, whose son James was one of the victims, said after the hearing.
"We now know what we have suspected all along, that McKevitt is a terrorist, a leader of the Real IRA with the blood of innocent people on his hands. The net is now closing on the Omagh bombers."
BY JOHN CARNEY
HARD as it is to believe, this year marked the fifth anniversary of the Omagh bomb. For those unaffected by the atrocity life continues, while for relatives of the deceased the quest for justice goes on.
This continued unabated in the past year, and a victory of sorts was achieved in January when the man convicted of conspiring to cause the Omagh bomb, Colm Murphy, was sentenced to 14 years in prison at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin.
In submissions to the court before sentencing, his barrister Michael O'Higgins said that Murphy, 49, maintained his innocence of the offence, and that his conviction was a miscarriage of justice.
On bail throughout his trial, Murphy was brought to the Special Criminal Court under heavy Garda and Army security.
Relatives of the victims of the bombing reacted to the jail sentence by spontaneously applauding for a few seconds as Mr Murphy was led away from the dock.
In a comment outside the court, Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the bombing, said his reaction was one of relief. Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife in the attack, said he wouldn't rest until everyone involved was behind bars.
MCKEVITT VERDICT
Then in August, Michael McKevitt, alleged leader of the dissident republican group the 'Real IRA' which carried out the Omagh bombing, was found guilty of directing terrorism and being a member of a proscribed organisation. He received a 20 year sentence. However, in delivering their verdict, a 44 page judgement, the three Special Court judges pointed out that the charges for which McKevitt was found guilty related to offences after the date of the Omagh at tack. No matter, it was still a positive step for the Omagh Self Help Group.
"A great step forward has been taken in the fight for justice for the victims of Omagh," Victor Barker, whose son James was one of the victims, said after the hearing.
"We now know what we have suspected all along, that McKevitt is a terrorist, a leader of the Real IRA with the blood of innocent people on his hands. The net is now closing on the Omagh bombers."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1626
Published Date: 01-Jan-04
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