Families of the 29 victims of the Omagh bombing today called for Colm Murphy to be called as a witness at the inquest into the deaths. Mr Murphy is the only person charged in connection with the atrocity. They also sought a ruling that Francis Mackey, an independent Omagh district councillor and Chairman of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, which is believed to be linked to the Real IRA, be added to the witness list.
The parent of one of the victims, who made the request, was directed by the Coroner to make a statement detailing his reasons to police and he said that he would consider it. If either of the two men is called as a witness and refuses to attend, the Coroner has the power to subpoena them.
The families of those murdered in the bombing were today given the right to view submissions, maps and photographs in connection with the incident. The Coroner for Greater Belfast, John Leckey, said that he was granting the preliminary disclosure because of the number of deaths involved, the number of witnesses to be heard at the inquest and the fact that some of the families of those killed would not be legally represented at the inquest. The inquest will formally open in Omagh on Wednesday.
