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Omagh bomb trial expected to end Final submissions in Omagh trial
(about 7 hours later)
The Omagh bomb trial is expected to end later with the prosecution and defence lawyers giving closing submissions. The Omagh bomb trial has been hearing prosecution and defence lawyers giving closing submissions.
Sean Hoey, 37, from Jonesborough, County Armagh, denies a total of 56 charges, including 29 counts of murder as a result of the Omagh bombing.Sean Hoey, 37, from Jonesborough, County Armagh, denies a total of 56 charges, including 29 counts of murder as a result of the Omagh bombing.
The trial has now heard from hundreds of witnesses at Belfast Crown Court. A judgement is not expected for several weeks.The trial has now heard from hundreds of witnesses at Belfast Crown Court. A judgement is not expected for several weeks.
During the trial, two charges against Mr Hoey were effectively dropped.During the trial, two charges against Mr Hoey were effectively dropped.
It came after prosecution lawyers accepted there was no case to answer. The prosecution has said it believes that Mr Hoey was involved not only in making bomb timers but in wiring up the bombs themselves for attacks in 1998.
They said forensic evidence proves that.
Inference should also be drawn from the fact Mr Hoey did not give evidence on his own behalf, the prosecution said.
The issue of low copy number DNA - the key part of the prosecution's forensic case - was also raised.
The judge asked the prosecution why two of its witnesses "were not on the same" page about the issue.
The defence have said there are a number of doubts they want to raise about the case.
Incontrovertible evidence that Mr Hoey was involved in the Omagh bombing "was always a mirage" they said.
The two charges which were dropped, came after prosecution lawyers accepted there was no case to answer.
The charges were connected to a car bombing and an explosives find just weeks before the 1998 Omagh atrocity.The charges were connected to a car bombing and an explosives find just weeks before the 1998 Omagh atrocity.
On Monday, the trial heard information from FBI spy David Rupert who had infiltrated dissident republican groups at the time of the 1998 atrocity.
Belfast Crown Court was told that he named more than 100 members and associates of dissident republicans. However, Mr Hoey was not of them.