South Armagh electrician Seán Hoey is to appear at Craigavon Court in Co Armagh next Thursday charged with 61 offences relating to the Real IRA Omagh bombing that claimed the lives of 29 people and unborn twin girls.
During a brief appearance from Maghaberry Prison by video link at Craigavon yesterday it was indicated that Mr Hoey would face 29 counts of murder at next week's hearing in relation to the August 1998 bombing. Mr Hoey, aged 35, from Molly Road, Jonesborough, has been in custody since September 2003 on various terrorist charges including Real IRA membership and bomb attacks in Co Armagh, Co Fermanagh, Banbridge and Newry in Co Down, as well as two in Belfast.
He will be brought from Maghaberry Prison to Craigavon Court next Thursday to hear the 61 charges read out to him in person.
Mr Hoey's solicitor Peter Corrigan told Craigavon Magistrates' Court that he would appeal to have the case stopped, claiming it had been conducted in a "most unacceptable manner". He said he would institute an abuse of process application to try to halt the proceedings.
Mr Corrigan said his client was first interviewed in 1998 about Omagh and other offences. "We submit that the prosecution has been conducted in a most unacceptable manner. The prosecution have manipulated the process," he said. "Throughout earlier discussions about the case, there was no mention of impending murder charges," added Mr Corrigan, who complained that the delay was a breach of Mr Hoey's human rights. "It's prejudicing our client in relation to receiving a fair trial," he said.
Michael Gallagher, chief spokesman for the Omagh families, whose son Aidan was killed in the Real IRA attack, attended yesterday's hearing.
He was delighted that there was progress in the investigation, he said.
"I will certainly be back next week to see the result of the 61 charges that are being read out and I hope it will not be the last appearance we make in courthouses in connection with Omagh."
Mr Gallagher said he was guardedly confident that more Omagh suspects would be charged.
While he was happy with the way the investigation was being conducted in the North he had reservations about whether the Garda was committing enough resources to the case.
"I am very anxious that there should be full co-operation between the PSNI and gardaí," he said.
Mr Hoey, when charged, will be the first person to be formally accused of the bombing in a Northern Ireland court. His uncle, Dundalk builder Colm Murphy, was the only person convicted in connection with the bombing.
Murphy has been granted a retrial in the Republic's Court of Criminal Appeal after doubt was cast on the evidence of two Garda officers during his original trial.Mr Hoey's trial will be one of the biggest mass murder trials in British and Irish legal history, and could last six months.
