Omagh Bomb Suspect Acquitted

The only man jailed over the 1998 Omagh bombing was yesterday cleared following a retrial in Dublin.

Colm Murphy, 57, from Co Louth, was imprisioned for 14 years in 2002 for conspiracy but won an appeal against his conviction in 2005 and was sent for a retrial in January this year at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

Murphy had pleaded not guilty to conspiring with another person to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property in the State or elsewhere between August 13 and 16 1998.

The prosecution had claimed he lent two mobile phones to a man who was involved in transporting the car bomb from Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, to the Co Tyrone market town, where it exploded on August 15.

In his verdict on Wednesday, Mr Justice Butler said interview evidence from members of the Irish police (gardai) was inadmissible. During the trial, judge Butler accused two gardai detectives of consistent perjury in relation to interview notes.

Mr Murphy said after being acquitted: "I am glad to see it's all over.''

The original trial found Mr Murphy was guilty of conspiracy to cause an explosion because he lent mobile phones to the gang who planted the Omagh bomb, knowing they would be used for moving bombs.

Murphy was originally convicted of the charge in 2002 but the Irish Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the conviction and ordered a retrial in 2005.

Last June, Mr Murphy and three other men were found liable for the Omagh bombing in a civil action taken by 12 relatives of people killed in the attack.

Mr Murphy, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell and Seamus Daly, who are alleged to be Real IRA members, were ordered to pay £1.6m in damages to the relatives. The findings of the civil case were not permitted to affect the outcome of the retrial in Dublin, however.

(DW/BMcC)