Men Ruled Liable For Omagh Bomb

A convicted Real IRA man has been found liable for the Omagh bomb atrocity, in what has been described as a "tremendous moral victory" for the victims' families.

Today's landmark civil case will see relatives of those killed receive financial damages, after a judge ruled four men were responsible for the attack more than 10 years ago.

Incarcerated Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt along with three other men - Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly - were ruled to be responsible for the attack.

A fifth man accused by the relatives, Seamus McKenna, was cleared today.

The judge also determined the Real IRA had orchestrated the bombing.

A group representing a number of relatives took legal action against the men, after repeated failures to secure any criminal convictions for the 1998 attack

Twenty-nine people, including unborn twins, were murdered when a car bomb ripped through the town centre on an August afternoon.

Civil cases are judged differently than criminal proceedings.

In a civil hearing a judge will make a decision based on on the balance of probabilities - considering all the factors and ruling on the likelihood of actual event.

In criminal law the judge or jury must decide beyond all reasonable doubt - meaning there must not be any flaws in evidence or doubt about guilt.

It is believed the lower burden of proof in a civil case acted in the favour of the Omagh families.

The court this afternoon heard how McKevitt was heavily involved in the procurement of explosives for the dissident republican group at the time of the bombing.

Information from former FBI agent David Rupert detailed two phones used by the bombers on the day of the attack.

Mr Justice Morgan said evidence proved that both Campbell and Daly were in possession of the phones before and after the attack.

Speaking outside court, Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the bombing, said an important message had been sent out to the world-wide victims of terrorists.

"You now have a way of challenging those who've murdered your loved ones," he said.

"I think it is a tremendous moral victory for the families."

Of the £1.6m paid, Mr Gallagher predicted the families would "never collect a penny".

The UK government contributed £800,000 towards the £1.5m legal costs in 2003 - the first time it had ever financially supported such a civil case.

(PR/JM)