The 29 murder charges against the man accused of the Omagh bombing should be dropped, a lawyer demanded today.
Sean Hoey (35), an electrician from south Armagh, is due to go on trial later this year for Northern Ireland's worst terrorist atrocity.
But at Belfast Magistrates' Court his solicitor, Peter Corrigan, claimed the prosecution's case that Mr Hoey may have built the bomb used in the August 1998 attack could not go before a jury. Mr Corrigan described the evidence as "speculative".
Mr Hoey, of Molly Road, Jonesborough, faces a total of 61 charges, including IRA membership. He was accused of the murders after a major review of all available forensic evidence.
In court today the prosecution refused Mr Corrigan's request for an outline of the case against his client, denying the charges were based on similar fact evidence.
Magistrate Greg McCourt adjourned the case for a week to allow further legal arguments. In the meantime Mr Hoey was remanded in custody.
As well as the 29 killings, hundreds more were injured when a 500lb car bomb devastated the Co Tyrone market town.
PA