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| Omagh civil case due before court | Omagh civil case due before court |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A civil action against five people Omagh relatives believe were behind the 1998 bombing is due to begin later. | A civil action against five people Omagh relatives believe were behind the 1998 bombing is due to begin later. |
| Twenty-nine people died and hundreds were injured in the Real IRA bomb in the County Tyrone town. | Twenty-nine people died and hundreds were injured in the Real IRA bomb in the County Tyrone town. |
| While no-one has been convicted of the atrocity, some families are suing the men they believe were involved in the attack for more than £10m. | |
| Those being sued are Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna. | Those being sued are Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna. |
| Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan, 21, died in the bombing, said: "We really see this as the last step in the Omagh process because we are not aware of any pending proceedings, either civil or criminal. | Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan, 21, died in the bombing, said: "We really see this as the last step in the Omagh process because we are not aware of any pending proceedings, either civil or criminal. |
| "As far as the families are concerned, and it is going to be difficult coming so soon after the trial of Sean Hoey, but we are confident in our legal team and we put our trust in the courts." | "As far as the families are concerned, and it is going to be difficult coming so soon after the trial of Sean Hoey, but we are confident in our legal team and we put our trust in the courts." |
| WHAT IS A CIVIL ACTION? Brought to seek financial compensation - it does not result in a criminal convictionCase must be proved on the "balance of probabilities" rather than criminal law's requirement of "beyond reasonable doubt" | WHAT IS A CIVIL ACTION? Brought to seek financial compensation - it does not result in a criminal convictionCase must be proved on the "balance of probabilities" rather than criminal law's requirement of "beyond reasonable doubt" |
| Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, south Armagh, was cleared of involvement in the Omagh bombing last December. | Sean Hoey, an electrician from Jonesborough, south Armagh, was cleared of involvement in the Omagh bombing last December. |
| McKevitt, 58, is awaiting judgement in an appeal against a conviction in the Irish Republic for directing terrorism. | McKevitt, 58, is awaiting judgement in an appeal against a conviction in the Irish Republic for directing terrorism. |
| He has won a fight for full legal aid to defend the multi-million pound compensation case. | He has won a fight for full legal aid to defend the multi-million pound compensation case. |
| Campbell, 43, was held in Portlaoise Prison in the Republic of Ireland on terrorism charges unconnected to Omagh. | Campbell, 43, was held in Portlaoise Prison in the Republic of Ireland on terrorism charges unconnected to Omagh. |
| Colm Murphy, 56, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in January 2002 for conspiracy to cause the Omagh explosion, but the conviction was overturned on appeal and he is awaiting a retrial. | |
| All five are defending against the action and deny any involvement in the attack. | All five are defending against the action and deny any involvement in the attack. |
| Part of the court proceedings will be relocated to Dublin in an historic step to allow the judge, Mr Justice Morgan, to hear evidence from 24 garda officers. | Part of the court proceedings will be relocated to Dublin in an historic step to allow the judge, Mr Justice Morgan, to hear evidence from 24 garda officers. |