Omagh relatives confident after setback

RELATIVES of the Omagh bomb victims are confident a Belfast court will order the handover of documents relating to the trials of four men suspected of carrying out the atrocity.

However, their campaign for compensation suffered a setback yesterday when the Special Criminal Court ruled it had no power or jurisdiction to release trial transcripts, books of evidence and statements relating to the trials of Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly. Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, said: “The court has no jurisdiction to entertain the application and, therefore, has to refuse it.”

Omagh relatives have launched a €20m civil action for aggravated damages against the four and a fifth man, Seamus McKenna, who was sentenced last month to six years for possession of explosives. The action accuses the five of being involved in the August 1998 bombing of the Co Tyrone town that left 29 people dead, including a woman pregnant with twins. The Belfast High Court hearing is expected to begin later this year.

In their written ruling, the three judges of the Special Criminal Court said: “Having considered the arguments advanced and the law as we see it applying to this request and being conscious of the anxiety of the applicants in relation to this issue, the court is unable to make the direction requested by reason of lack of jurisdiction and, therefore, refuses to accede to the application.”

The families believe the Belfast court will order the defendants to release any relevant documents under normal discovery rules. The High Court in Belfast has stated there is a case for discovery, but expressed concern about the defendants’ lack of legal representation.

Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, died in the bombing, said: “We have come to expect disappointment along the way. The authorities have always been quick to give sympathy and slow to give actual support. The fight goes on and we have faith that justice will be done and we will get a fair trial in the end.”

The families’ lawyer Jason McCue said: “The Irish court has decided not to help out on this occasion, which is a great pity, but we have no doubt the Belfast court, recognising the lengths they (the families) have gone to, will now make the usual and appropriate orders.”

McKevitt, aged 54, of Blackrock, Co Louth; Campbell, 41, from Dundalk, and Daly, 33, of Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, are jailed for Real IRA activities. McKenna, 49, from Dundalk, was last month sentenced to six years for possession of an explosive substance.