Omagh bomb dad’s ‘shock’ as second council to debate extradition of Liam Campbell

The father of a 21-year-old man who was killed in the Omagh bombing has said he is “shocked” that another council will debate the extradition of a man found liable in a civil court for the atrocity.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was killed in the 1998 bombing, was speaking after the independent republican councillor Gary Donnelly said he would bring a motion opposing the extradition of Liam Campbell before Derry City and Strabane Council next week.

A similar motion was passed at Fermanagh and Omagh Council last week, which victims of the bombing said had caused further hurt.

After a legal battle lasting nearly 12 years the High Court in Dublin ordered the extradition of Campbell last month to Lithuania where he is wanted on international weapons trafficking charges.

The motion at Fermanagh and Omagh Council, proposed by independent councillor Bernice Swift, highlighted concerns that Campbell’s human rights would be breached by the poor prison conditions in Lithuania.

It passed with the backing of both Sinn Fein and the SDLP, but the SDLP later apologised for the “pain and hurt” caused to Omagh bomb families and vowed to overturn the decision when the motion goes before a full meeting of the council for ratification.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has also signalled that councillors in Derry City and Strabane will vote against Mr Donnelly’s proposal.

Mr Gallagher, speaking to the News Letter, urged Sinn Fein to follow suit.

“I think it is shocking,” he said. “I can’t understand why anybody would want to bring such a motion. It is certainly a very depressing thought that somebody would want to align themselves with people who were in Lithuania allegedly buying guns and bomb components.

“We were very happy with the SDLP for being very quick and we are watching to see what Sinn Fein’s thoughts are.”

Sinn Fein has been invited to comment.