Omagh bomb appeal in doubt
FOUR men held responsible for the Omagh bomb atrocity may be forced to abandon their appeals if legal aid is withheld.
Judges due to hear a challenge to the landmark ruling have been told no decision has been made yet on financial assistance for the dissident republican suspects.
Victims families awarded compensation in the civil action they brought over the Real IRA attack are also still waiting to hear if they will receive exceptional funding to appeal the level of damages.
In June Mr Justice Morgan, now the Lord Chief Justice, ordered that more than £1.6 million in total should be paid out to 12 relatives who sued over the August 1998 massacre which claimed 29 lives and hundreds more.
But the families who took the High Court civil action are pressing for a more punitive award of exemplary damages to be made against those held liable.
Jailed Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt and three other men, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly were all found responsible for the bombing following a year-long trial.
