Omagh bomb accused facing preliminary hearing today

Preliminary hearings in the trial of a south Armagh man accused of murdering the 29 victims of the Omagh bombing are due to get underway in Belfast today.

Thirty-nine-year-old Sean Hoey, from Molly Road in Jonesboro, is facing a total of 61 charges connected to alleged dissident republican activity, including the 29 Omagh murders.

The electrician is accused of constructing the bomb used in the Real IRA atrocity on August 15th, 1998.

Mr Hoey's solicitor is expected to seek a dismissal of the Omagh charges during this week's hearing, which should last around three days.

The solicitor has already argued that the charges are based solely on the evidence of a forensic scientist who could only say that the Omagh bomb was similar to others allegedly constructed by his client.