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.