Court reserves judgment on Omagh documentation

The Special Criminal Court has reserved judgment on an application by relatives of the Omagh bomb victims for documentation to…

The Special Criminal Court has reserved judgment on an application by relatives of the Omagh bomb victims for documentation to help their civil compensation case against those suspected of carrying out the 1998 atrocity.

Lawyers for the relatives applied for transcripts and books of evidence of trials of Michael McKevitt, Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell, Séamus Daly and Séamus McKenna

The relatives are suing these men and the "Real IRA" for £14 million (€20 million).

Former FBI agent Mr David Rupert who gave evidence in the trial of "Real IRA" leader Michael McKevitt in Dublin will be one of the witnesses called and is expected to give evidence by video link.

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The Omagh bombing, which was claimed by the "Real IRA", killed 29 people and was the worst single terrorist atrocity in 30 years of the Troubles.

Yesterday, Lord Brennan QC, for the relatives, told the court Mr Justice Morgan had heard an application in Belfast last week relating to the claim. He said the judge had indicated he was willing to make an order for discovery against the five defendants but did not want to offend the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court or compromise the position of the defendants.

Lord Brennan submitted that the decision to disclose the transcripts was an administrative decision and within the jurisdiction of the Special Criminal Court.

Mr Patrick McCarthy SC, who appeared for McKevitt, Daly, Campbell and McKenna, submitted that the court had no jurisdiction to order the disclosure of the transcripts. "This is a civil matter. You have no power to entertain the application under the statute," he said.