Omagh father relieved as motion ‘resigned to history’

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of those killed in the 1998 bombing, was speaking after separate motions in two councils opposing the extradition of Liam Campbell were voted down.

Campbell, who was found liable in a civil court in 2009 for the Omagh bombing, is wanted in Lithuania on international weapons trafficking charges.

A motion opposing his extradition from the Republic of Ireland was passed by a committee at Fermanagh and Omagh council earlier this month with backing from Sinn Fein and the SDLP — prompting an outcry from victims of the Omagh bombing.

The SDLP later apologised and, on Thursday night when the motion came before the full council, voted against it.

A similar motion, introduced at Derry City and Strabane council, was also voted down on Thursday night.

Speaking to the News Letter on Friday, Mr Gallagher said: “I hope that what happened in Fermanagh and Omagh and what happened in Derry City and Strabane will send a message that people are fed up with their councils being used on issues that the council can’t, at the end of the day, make any difference.

“It was absolutely hurtful when this was brought forward. Who wouldn’t be offended?

“For somebody who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing to then allegedly continue to try and bring weapons, why would any civilised person have any truck with them at all?”

In Derry City and Strabane council, the motion was defeated with only six votes in favour and 21 against while Sinn Fein abstained.

In Fermanagh and Omagh, a counter-motion calling for Campbell’s extradition to be expedited passed.

DUP councillor Errol Thompson said Fermanagh and Omagh council had been “brought into the gutter” by the original motion.

UUP councillor Victor Warrington, who proposed the counter-motion calling for the Irish government to “speedily resolve” the extradition process, said: “I hope this will consign this whole sorry episode to the dustbin of history where it belongs.”

He added: “Had we not succeeded in reversing the previous decision it would have been a travesty and an insult to the families bereaved, the physically injured, and those left mentally scarred.”