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Omagh bomb: Murder case against Seamus Daly collapses Omagh bomb: Murder case against Seamus Daly collapses
(about 1 hour later)
The case against a man accused of murdering 29 people in the Real IRA bomb attack in Omagh, County Tyrone, in 1998 has collapsed.The case against a man accused of murdering 29 people in the Real IRA bomb attack in Omagh, County Tyrone, in 1998 has collapsed.
Seamus Daly, 45, from Jonesborough, County Armagh, was also accused of causing the explosion.Seamus Daly, 45, from Jonesborough, County Armagh, was also accused of causing the explosion.
The bricklayer, originally from County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, had denied the charges.The bricklayer, originally from County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, had denied the charges.
The Public Prosecution Service decided there was no reasonable prospect of conviction so have withdrawn the case.The Public Prosecution Service decided there was no reasonable prospect of conviction so have withdrawn the case.
This came after a key witness gave inconsistent evidence and contradicted his previous testimony.This came after a key witness gave inconsistent evidence and contradicted his previous testimony.
The Omagh bomb was the biggest single atrocity in the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.The Omagh bomb was the biggest single atrocity in the history of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
It happened just four months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed.It happened just four months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
The death toll included nine children and three generations of one family, but no-one has been convicted in a criminal court of carrying out the attack.The death toll included nine children and three generations of one family, but no-one has been convicted in a criminal court of carrying out the attack.
Mr Daly, along with County Louth man Colm Murphy, were found liable for the bomb in a civil retrial in 2013.Mr Daly, along with County Louth man Colm Murphy, were found liable for the bomb in a civil retrial in 2013.
Discredited Vincent Kearney, Home Affairs Correspondent
Seamus Daly was in court in Omagh last week for a hearing to decide if there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
He was not in court in Ballymena today, when a prosecution lawyer announced that the answer to that question was "No".
The case was based on evidence from a witness about a phone used by members of the Real IRA who planted the bomb.
A judge who heard evidence last week had been due to announce today if the case would continue.
But the decision was taken out of his hands when a lawyer said the case no longer met the test for prosecution.
The prosecution had relied upon a star witness to link Seamus Daly to a mobile phone used by the Omagh bombers. He told them that Daly had called him from that phone on the day of the bombing.
But during court hearings last week, he conceded he may have been mistaken and that the call could have taken place a week earlier.
At that point, the prosecution case effectively fell apart.
In the criminal trial, Mr Daly was also accused of two charges relating to another dissident republican bomb plot in Lisburn, County Antrim, in April 1998.In the criminal trial, Mr Daly was also accused of two charges relating to another dissident republican bomb plot in Lisburn, County Antrim, in April 1998.
After his arrest, Mr Daly gave police a statement denying any involvement in the Omagh bombing or Lisburn plot.After his arrest, Mr Daly gave police a statement denying any involvement in the Omagh bombing or Lisburn plot.
His lawyers argued that the case against him was weak and much of the evidence had been discredited.His lawyers argued that the case against him was weak and much of the evidence had been discredited.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the Omagh bombing, said he was unhappy that information was circulating on Tuesday morning about the collapse of the case, yet claimed he and other families had not been told by the authorities.Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the Omagh bombing, said he was unhappy that information was circulating on Tuesday morning about the collapse of the case, yet claimed he and other families had not been told by the authorities.
"We have been failed once again by the police service, by the prosecution service, by the government and by the criminal justice system," he said."We have been failed once again by the police service, by the prosecution service, by the government and by the criminal justice system," he said.