Gardaí investigating the Omagh bombing made an "incompetent and clumsy" attempt to fabricate evidence to implicate a suspect, the Special Criminal Court heard today.
The court was told detectives rushed to "tack on" additional notes to a script drawn up during interviews with Mr Colm Murphy, the only man to be charged in connection with the bomb.
In their haste different types of ink and paper appeared among the pages of the interview notes, the defence alleged.
Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, questioned the authenticity of the notes as he cross-examined Detective Garda James Hanley, one of the interrogating officers. He said the evidence showed it was a "very incompetent and clumsy attempt" to concoct interviews.
The defence also claimed that following the interview, the notes were not read back to Mr Murphy, as is required.
Det Gda Hanley denied the accusation and said different types of paper may have been present as there was no "standard issue".
The accusation came on the 13th day of the trial of Mr Murphy, a 49-year-old publican and building contractor from Dundalk, Co Louth.
The father of four denies conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to cause loss of life or serious injury to property between August 13th and 16th, 1998.
The charge followed the alleged confession Mr Murphy made while being questioned after the explosion which killed 29 people and injured 200 more in the County Tyrone market town on August 15th, 1998.