Victim ‘cried all night’ after seeing councillor messaged ex-Real IRA prison commander to celebrate her Omagh bomb victory

A Fermanagh councillor marked the passing of her motion against the extradition of an Omagh bomber this week with a “delighted” message to a former prison commander of the group which carried out the atrocity - the Real IRA.
The message sent by Fermanagh and Omagh Independent Councillor Bernice Swift to John Connolly.The message sent by Fermanagh and Omagh Independent Councillor Bernice Swift to John Connolly.
The message sent by Fermanagh and Omagh Independent Councillor Bernice Swift to John Connolly.

On Wednesday night at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council independent councillor Bernice Swift proposed a motion against the extradition of Dundalk man Liam Campbell to Lithuania to face weapons trafficking charges.

Mr Campbell was previously found liable in a civil court for the worst single atrocity of the Troubles, the Real IRA Omagh Bomb in 1998, which killed 29 people and two unborn children.

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On Wednesday night Ms Swift’s motion against Mr Campbell’s extradition was passed 23 to 14 with one abstention, with the support of Sinn Fein and the SDLP.

The council meeting ended about 10pm. At one minute past the hour, a “delighted” Ms Swift reported her success back to John Connolly, a former prison commander of the Real IRA, and now chairman of the Cavan and Fermanagh Republican Sinn Fein.

“Hello John,” she said. “Delighted to report my proposal to stop the extradition of Liam Campbell succeeded tonight. I had sent written proposal in on Monday and waited for THREE different meetings to get this even heard cos we have overrun talking/meeting times for AOB [Any Other Business]. Also the chair wasn’t going to let it in tonight but I went bonkers and he agreed. Unionists went mad.”

At 10:19 John Connolly posted the news to Facebook.

“Great news breaking tonight in Fermanagh,” he said. “The motion put forward by Independent Councillor Bernice Swift regarding the extradition of Liam Campbell to Lithuanian was passed tonight at the council meeting.”

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The news was met with a rapturous response by supporters, with Mr Connolly responding by posting a screenshot of Ms Swift’s personal message to him.

The News Letter asked Ms Swift to comment on the fact that her immediate reporting of her success to a former Real IRA prison Commander who was jailed for possession of a barrack buster mortar in 2002 would be deeply hurtful to the Omagh Bomb families.

Ms Swift strongly rejected any suggestions that she was “reporting” anything to John Connolly. Her actions were made “on humanitarian grounds” to prevent an Irish Citizen being extradited to Lithuania which she said has “a heinous track record of torture, degrading and inhumane treatment”.  

Asked if she condemned the Omagh bombing she replied: “Yes, unequivocally”. Questioned on whether she thought violence was justified in the pursuit of a united Ireland, she replied: “What relevance has this question to the Proposal?”

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The News Letter also put it to Mr Connolly that his actions would be deeply hurtful to Omagh bomb families, particularly being an ex-Real IRA prison commander.

He asked for some time to digest the issues and said he would respond by 4pm yesterday, but did not give any further comment.

Claire Monteith, whose 16-year-old brother Alan was killed in the Omagh bombing, said she had seen the messaging between Mr Connolly and Ms Swift shortly after it went online.

“Her message to John Connolly just extends the hurt that she has already caused with her motion,” Claire said.

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“Bernice messaged John immediately after the meeting and then he publicised it even more by sharing it some on social media. I sat crying all that night.

“To know that 20 years after the bomb I am raising a family amongst people who supported this motion is sickening beyond words.”

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood apologised the next day for his councillors voting against the extradition, at the council committee. He said they would oppose the motion when it comes before the full council meeting on July 23.

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