Dismay as only suspect facing Omagh bomb murder charges ‘to walk free’

Murder charges against the only remaining Omagh bombing suspect have been dropped by prosecutors. Bricklayer Seamus Daly, 45, had been on remand in prison since being charged with the Real IRA atrocity that left 29 people dead and a range of other terror offences in April 2014. Seven years ago, Daly was one of four men successfully sued for bombing the Co Tyrone market town when he was found liable for the 1998 attack in a landmark civil case taken by some of the bereaved families. However, after a key witness contradicted his previous testimony, Daly will now walk free after all of the charges were withdrawn on the basis of insufficient evidence.

We just feel this was the last chance for justice for Omagh, and that is now over. It’s very difficult to deal with, and we have to meet with our legal team to discuss the best way forward.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed

Daly, from Co Armagh, has always denied involvement in the bombing which inflicted the greatest loss of life of any terror atrocity in the history of the Northern Ireland Troubles. The dead came from both sides of the Irish border, England and Spain and included a 21-year-old woman pregnant with twins. Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed in the explosion, has expressed outrage that victims’ families were kept in the dark over the prosecution’s collapse - and claimed they “have been failed once again” by the criminal justice system. Daly’s lawyer, Peter Corrigan, has said the prosecution’s case was built on a “house of straw” - and added his client is planning to take legal action over his two years’ incarceration awaiting a trial.

Omagh