Omagh bomb man jailed for 14 years

Murphy's legal team said he will appeal against a 14-year jail term

DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland -- Convicted Real IRA dissident Colm Murphy was sentenced to 14 years in jail on Friday for his part in the Omagh bombing which killed 29 people.

Murphy, a wealthy publican, was convicted on Tuesday by a three-judge panel at the Republic of Ireland's Special Criminal Court of conspiring to cause the blast.

The father-of-four had faced a maximum jail term of life imprisonment for his role in the bloodiest single act in 30 years of conflict across the border in Northern Ireland.

Mr Justice Robert Barr, presiding, said: "The accused is a long-time republican extremist and member of a dissident group opposed to the peace agreement of Northern Ireland.

"Those who planted the bomb, and Murphy as a back-up or service provider, must have realised that the operation to plant the bomb was fraught with danger and risked death and injury to many."

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The court refused Murphy leave to appeal to the Special Criminal Court.

However he now has 21 days to lodge an appeal in the Republic of Ireland's Court of Criminal Appeal and his defence team confirmed he would be pursuing this.

A woman pregnant with twins was among the 29 people who died when the explosion tore through the County Tyrone market town on August 15, 1998. More than 300 people were injured.

Murphy, a 49-year-old former building contractor, native to Co. Armagh, is the only person to be convicted in connection with the bombing.

Relatives of the bombing victims welcomed the sentence and some burst into applause when it was delivered.

The Omagh bomb killed 29 people and caused extensive damage

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed by the huge car bomb planted in Omagh's main shopping district, said: "We came here today to see that justice would be done and we are happy to see that.

"We still know the people who drove that bomb to Omagh are still out there but I think the message to them from the court is that if you end up here -- and we very much hope you will -- you will get what you deserve."

Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed by the blast, added: "I'm absolutely delighted that finally someone has been taken to book for this terrible atrocity."

The judges found Murphy guilty at the end of a 25-day trial on the basis of confessions made by him while in custody in February 1999, although he denied making them.

They also decided that he loaned his own mobile phone as well as the mobile of his unwitting foreman, Terence Morgan, to a senior Real IRA figure involved in planning the bombing.

Murphy was partly convicted on evidence given by mobile phone experts, Royal Ulster Constabulary officers and security agents who tracked the two phones travelling from Co. Monaghan, on the south side of the border, to Omagh and back again on the day of the attack.

One mobile phone was used by the bombers transporting the explosives, the other was used by a team in a "scout car," travelling some distance ahead.

Eleven calls were made to and from Murphy's phone in the area on the afternoon of the atrocity.

Widespread criticism of the police investigation in Northern Ireland has been voiced.

Omagh relatives have demanded a public inquiry to look at how the investigation was handled.

Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan tried to defend his officers' handling of the Omagh bomb investigation when he met some of the relatives on Thursday.

Sir Ronnie said that his officers had done everything possible to bring the Real IRA bombers to justice.