The families of the Omagh bombing victims have formally launched a bid for justice against those they say killed their loved ones. Relatives of some of the 29 killed in the 1998 attack today began a civil action against the Real IRA and five men allegedly linked to it.
Lawyer Jason McCue described the High Court writs served in Belfast yesterday as an attempt to bring the Republican splinter group to account.
The families issued writs seeking aggravated and exemplary damages against Seamus McKenna of Silverbridge, Newry, County Down; John Michael Henry McKevitt of Blackrock, Dundalk, County Louth; Liam Campbell of Mount Pleasant, Dundalk, County Louth; Michael Colm Murphy of Ravensdale, Dundalk, County Louth; and Seamus Daly of Culloville, near Castleblaney, County Monaghan.
The Northern Secretary said that the authorities were still doing everything in their power to arrest the Omagh bombers. He was speaking after relatives of the victims launched the action.
Dr Reid said that for legal reasons he could not express support for the families' action, but that he understood their feelings.
