Omagh: ‘Bomb’ materials found after home was raided
Friday, 30 May 2008
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One of the men accused of the Omagh bomb gave selective explanations for suspected explosive materials found at his home, a court has heard.
Liam Campbell also denied a diary and mobile phone recovered in the raid belonged to him, a detective said.
The convicted terrorist and four other men are being sued by six families who believe they were responsible for the blast which killed 29 people, injuring hundreds more.
Det Garda Anthony Hearty said Campbell adopted a "no response" and "no reply" attitude to interrogation, and gave selective explanations to some of the exhibits recovered from his home which were shown to him under questioning.
The investigating officer said Campbell first denied any knowledge of tubing — similar to that used by the Real IRA for improvised bombs — found at his home, but later claimed he got it at a scrap yard to be used for petrol and diesel.
The accused said he bought disposable face masks in Jonesboro, Co Armagh days before his arrest to be used for weeding his garden, according to the detective.
Asked about walkie talkies and a CB radio he made no reply, but when pressed about insulating tape, similar to that used for improvised bombs, he denied ownership.
"His reply was: 'That tape is not mine'," Det Garda Hearty told the hearing, sitting at the District Court in central Dublin.
Michael McKevitt, the alleged leader of the Real IRA; Campbell, said to be his number two; Colm Murphy; Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly all deny any involvement in the massacre in the Co Tyrone town on a busy Saturday afternoon in August 1998.
Det Garda Hearty told the civil case that tubing, tape, a CB radio, walkie talkies, face masks and gloves were recovered during the search of Campbell's home at Upper Faughart, Dundalk in March 2000. The co-defendant was arrested at the scene under the Republic's Offences Against the State Act, and questioned about being a member of the Real IRA. The accused insisted other items seized, including a mobile phone, did not belong to him.
"That's not my diary, I've never seen the phone before," it is alleged he said.
Det Garda Hearty added: "He was offered the opportunity to deny he was a member of the IRA and made no reply."
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