CLAIM THAT SUSPECT WAS DROWNING HIS SORROWS AFTER OMAGH BOMB
Claim that suspect was 'drowning his sorrows' after Omagh bomb
Civil action returns to the High Court in Belfast
BY RONAN MCSHERRY
r.mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
THE Omagh bomb civil case has been told that one of the suspects, Seamus McKenna, was allegedly 'drowning his sorrows' on the night of the atrocity.
The civil action now in week 13 has returned to the High Court in Belfast after hearing evidence from Gardai officers in Dublin.
Six families of those killed in the bombing in the town on August 15, 1998 have taken the multi-million pound case against the men they believe were responsible for the atrocity.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins lost their lives while hundreds more were injured.
The dissident republicans being sued for the massacre Michael McKevitt, Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna deny liability. The families have sought recourse to a civil action as they believe no-one will ever be convicted in a criminal court of law. The Omagh families are seeking punitive and exemplary damages in this court action.
The court heard that Patrick Morgan, who worked for businessman Colm Murphy, told detectives Seamus McKenna had gone on a drinking session in Dundalk, Co Louth following the Real IRA attack on Omagh. Morgan had been questioned because the investigation team believed a phone he had lent to his boss had been used in the car that drove the bomb to the scene. Brian Fee QC, defending McKenna, pointed out that Morgan had given conflicting accounts of who he saw and what he heard on the night of the attack in the Emerald Bar that Murphy ran in Dundalk.
He added that McKenna 'frequently went on the rip' and had done so both before and after the Omagh bomb. Under cross-examination Detective Thomas Dempster stated he was not aware that Morgan later withdrew all Versions he had given to police.
Extracts from dossiers compiled by FBI spy David Rupert who infiltrated the Real IRA were also read to the compensation case. He told how dissident republicans were 'definitely back to war' nearly two years after the 1998 attack on Omagh.
He related how they had pledged to carry out attacks on the authorities in London and Dublin according to Rupert.
The American is on a witness protection programme and will not be attending the landmark action. His testimony was used to convict Michael McKevitt who is serving a 20-year sentence in the Republic for 'directing terrorism.'
The court was also informed of possible legal attempts to gain intelligence material following disclosures in a recently aired television documentary. The victims' families claim the review ordered by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown after the revelation that GCHQ was monitoring phone calls made by the bombers as they made their way to Omagh will be too late for the civil action.
Their senior counsel, Lord Brennan, confirmed to Mr Justice Morgan that they were considering whether to seek subpoenas or other applications following the BBC Panorama programme.
The trial continues.
Civil action returns to the High Court in Belfast
BY RONAN MCSHERRY
r.mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
THE Omagh bomb civil case has been told that one of the suspects, Seamus McKenna, was allegedly 'drowning his sorrows' on the night of the atrocity.
The civil action now in week 13 has returned to the High Court in Belfast after hearing evidence from Gardai officers in Dublin.
Six families of those killed in the bombing in the town on August 15, 1998 have taken the multi-million pound case against the men they believe were responsible for the atrocity.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins lost their lives while hundreds more were injured.
The dissident republicans being sued for the massacre Michael McKevitt, Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna deny liability. The families have sought recourse to a civil action as they believe no-one will ever be convicted in a criminal court of law. The Omagh families are seeking punitive and exemplary damages in this court action.
The court heard that Patrick Morgan, who worked for businessman Colm Murphy, told detectives Seamus McKenna had gone on a drinking session in Dundalk, Co Louth following the Real IRA attack on Omagh. Morgan had been questioned because the investigation team believed a phone he had lent to his boss had been used in the car that drove the bomb to the scene. Brian Fee QC, defending McKenna, pointed out that Morgan had given conflicting accounts of who he saw and what he heard on the night of the attack in the Emerald Bar that Murphy ran in Dundalk.
He added that McKenna 'frequently went on the rip' and had done so both before and after the Omagh bomb. Under cross-examination Detective Thomas Dempster stated he was not aware that Morgan later withdrew all Versions he had given to police.
Extracts from dossiers compiled by FBI spy David Rupert who infiltrated the Real IRA were also read to the compensation case. He told how dissident republicans were 'definitely back to war' nearly two years after the 1998 attack on Omagh.
He related how they had pledged to carry out attacks on the authorities in London and Dublin according to Rupert.
The American is on a witness protection programme and will not be attending the landmark action. His testimony was used to convict Michael McKevitt who is serving a 20-year sentence in the Republic for 'directing terrorism.'
The court was also informed of possible legal attempts to gain intelligence material following disclosures in a recently aired television documentary. The victims' families claim the review ordered by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown after the revelation that GCHQ was monitoring phone calls made by the bombers as they made their way to Omagh will be too late for the civil action.
Their senior counsel, Lord Brennan, confirmed to Mr Justice Morgan that they were considering whether to seek subpoenas or other applications following the BBC Panorama programme.
The trial continues.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1963
Published Date: 25-Sep-08
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