UH/1898

Judge to meet with gardai over Omagh bomb compensation case

A HIGH Court judge dealing with the Omagh bombing compensation case may decide to travel to Dublin to hear evidence from members of the gardai who are not permitted to cross the border. Mr Justice Morgan is still considering the application by lawyers for the bereaved and injured who are claiming £14 million.
If he agrees he will hear evidence from up to 30 gardai in Dublin in connection with the case. Being outside his jurisdiction, he would operate "on commission" with the Irish government's agreement. The application was made by Lord Brennan QC, head of the claimants' legal team.
"In particular it is necessary to obtain corroboration of the evidence of David Rupert and his meetings with Michael McKevitt and incidents in which he was involved with him," he said.
Mr Rupert is the American double agent who infiltrated the Real IRA and later gave evidence which helped to convict McKevitt of leading the paramilitary group. The Real IRA carried out the 1998 bombing which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins. McKevitt (57) from Blackrock, Co Louth, is serving a 20 year sentence in Portlaoise jail. He is one of five defendants in the civil case.
The others concerned in the same case are Colm Murphy and Liam Campbell, both from Dundalk, Seamus Daly from Cullaville, Co. Monaghan and Seamus McKenna from Silverbridge, Co Armagh.