THE TRADEGY OF OMAGH 1998 COMPOUNDED BY A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE 2016
The prosecution and trial of Seamus Daly for his alleged involvement in the Omagh Bombing 1998 collapsed today following the defence cross examination of key prosecution witnesses last week. Seamus Daly was arrested and charged in April 2014 with offences relating to the Omagh Bombing 1998 in which 29 people were murdered. Mr Daly subsequently spent a period on remand at HMP Maghaberry having been denied bail. KRW LAW LLP represent Seamus Daly.
Seamus Daly and others were found liable for the Omagh Bombing in a civil action bought by a number of relatives of the victims. This was an unprecedented case in the complex Legacy litigation of Conflict related deaths and injuries. Earlier, Sean Hoey had acquitted of involvement in the Omagh Bombing following the collapse of his criminal trial in 2007. This prosecution failed due to DNA and related forensic testing failures by the PSNI.
Today marks another failed attempt by the PSNI to deliver justice to the people of Omagh. The PSNI has systematically failed in its duty to the people of Omagh through its flawed investigations, its treatment of sensitive forensic evidence, its assumptions about suspects and its failure to prevent the Omagh Bombing. The indictment here is drawn up against both the PSNI and the Garda Síochána.
In Belfast there continues to be a judicial review application in the High Court following the decision of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland not to establish a statutory inquiry into the Omagh Bombing 1998 despite the compelling evidence that such an inquiry would go some way to examine why the bombing was not prevented, what was known about the bombing both before and after and the systematic failings of the police forces and intelligence services on both sides of the border and the attempts by both governments to cover up the truth about the Omagh Bombing 1998.
Today’s flawed prosecution point to fundamental problems in the approach of the PSNI to dissident Republicanism in this jurisdiction, its reliance on covert intelligence and its use of forensic evidence. For the people of Omagh, it is time to hold the PSNI to account.
Peter Corrigan
KRW LAW LLP
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