On the 10th Anniversary of the Omagh Bombing - a timeline

THE OMAGH BOMBING - TIMELINE
August 15 1998 – 3.10pm – A 500lb Real IRA car bomb explodes in Omagh, killing 29 people and two unborn babies and injuring more than 220 others

September 1998 – Twelve men are arrested by gardai and the RUC in connection with the bombing, but are released without charge. Gardai find huge arms haul in Co Monaghan

February 1999 – Seven men arrested by gardai and the RUC. Publican Colm Murphy, pictured, from Ravensdale, Co Louth charged in Republic with conspiracy to cause the explosion and membership of Real IRA

April 2000 – Review ordered by RUC chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan, pictured, reveals 80 suspects questioned, more than 2,000 people interviewed and more than 3,000 statements taken

September 2000 – Inquests of bomb victims begin. Details of three confused warnings in the half hour before the bomb are revealed by Superintendent William Baxter

October 2000 – BBC Panorama documentary broadcasts names of four men allegedly linked to the bombing through mobile phones used on the day. Gardai arrest three men but they are released without charge.

Relatives of James Barker (12), Samantha McFarland (17), Lorraine Wilson (15) and Breda Devine (20 months) announce a civil action against the four named men

November 2000 – RUC review of investigation completed but its 250 recommendations and findings kept secret until leaked the following year

March 2001 – Victims’ families launch appeal to raise £2 million to fund civil action.

Writs served against Seamus McKenna, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly

July 2001 – Double agent known as Kevin Fulton claims he told police of bomb being prepared, of location and of bombmaker three days before Omagh, though he did not name the town. It is alleged RUC Special Branch withheld information to protect the identity of the bombmaker because he was an informer. Sir Ronnie Flanagan dismisses the claim as outrageous

December 2001 – Police Ombudsman’s report claims warnings were received and ignored, evidence was not passed on to inquiry team, suspects were never questioned. Relatives of victims call for public inquiry into government and RUC handling of case. Sir Ronnie Flanagan responds that he would “publicly commit suicide” if ombudsman Nuala O’Loan’s, pictured, findings were true.

January 2002 – Colm Murphy found guilty and jailed for 14 years at Dublin’s Special Criminal Court of conspiracy to cause the bombing. Sir Ronnie Flanagan accuses Mrs O’Loan of “factual inaccuracies, unwarranted assumptions and misunderstandings”

February 2002 – Sir Ronnie Flanagan resigns as RUC chief constable

July 2002 – Omagh families begin civil action against men suspected of involvement in bombing.

October 2002 – Garda detective John White claims senior Garda officer knew Real IRA was planning Omagh three weeks before attack but withheld information to protect informer.

November 2002 – Gardai freeze £1 million in assets of Liam Campbell

February 2003 – Seamus Daly charged with membership of an illegal organisation

August 2003 – Michael McKevitt sentenced to 20 years’ jail in Republic on charge of directing terrorism – relates to Real IRA during period after Omagh bombing

October 2003 – Transcript published of conversation between Real IRA informer Paddy Dixon and Garda handler John White. Dixon warns “Omagh is going to blow up in their faces” three days before bombing

April 2004 – Preliminary hearing of Omagh families’ civil action begins

January 2005 – Colm Murphy has his conviction overturned but will face a retrial

February 2005 – Anthony Joseph Donegan (34) from Dundalk charged with supplying the bomb car.

May 2005 – Sean Gerard Hoey from Jonesborough, Armagh, charged in Northern Ireland with 29 counts of murder in connection with bombing

June 2005 – Charge against Anthony Donegan dropped

September 2006 – Hoey pleads not guilty at opening of trial

November 2006 – Trial judge Mr Justice Weir calls for an immediate investigation into why some statements were altered and originals lost

December 2006 – Two charges against Hoey dropped. Hoey defence criticises DNA evidence and how it was gathered.

January 2007 – Police Ombudsman investigates PSNI Omagh scenes of crimes officer Fiona Cooper and DCI Philip Marshall. During trial both admit changing statements on how some evidence was gathered.

December 2007 – Mr Justice Weir delivers not guilty verdict on Hoey.