28.1.05
BBC
Omagh bomb accused freed on bail
Colm Murphy was originally sentenced to 14 years in jail
The only man brought to trial over the 1998 Omagh bombing has been freed on bail after winning an appeal against his conviction.
Colm Murphy, 51, from Dundalk, County Louth, was jailed for 14 years in 2002 for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
However, the Court of Criminal Appeal in Dublin set aside the conviction last week and ordered a retrial.
On Friday, the court said it had no objections to freeing him. The husband of a victim argued against it.
Laurence Rush, whose wife Libby died in the atrocity, made the passionate appeal to the three appeal judges at the court.
The judges varied Mr Murphy's bail conditions to allow him to be freed.
He had to pay bail totalling 50,000 euro (£34,600) to secure his freedom.
The court granted two independent sureties of 25,000 euro (£17,300) and he had to surrender his passport as well as sign on daily at Dundalk Garda Station and reside at a named address in Mount Pleasant, Dundalk.
The Omagh bomb was admitted by the dissident republican Real IRA.
It killed 29 people and unborn twins and was the worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
Mr Murphy's retrial has been ordered on two grounds relating to the evidence of detectives at his trial.
Omagh bomb accused freed on bail
Colm Murphy was originally sentenced to 14 years in jail
The only man brought to trial over the 1998 Omagh bombing has been freed on bail after winning an appeal against his conviction.
Colm Murphy, 51, from Dundalk, County Louth, was jailed for 14 years in 2002 for conspiracy to cause an explosion.
However, the Court of Criminal Appeal in Dublin set aside the conviction last week and ordered a retrial.
On Friday, the court said it had no objections to freeing him. The husband of a victim argued against it.
Laurence Rush, whose wife Libby died in the atrocity, made the passionate appeal to the three appeal judges at the court.
The judges varied Mr Murphy's bail conditions to allow him to be freed.
He had to pay bail totalling 50,000 euro (£34,600) to secure his freedom.
The court granted two independent sureties of 25,000 euro (£17,300) and he had to surrender his passport as well as sign on daily at Dundalk Garda Station and reside at a named address in Mount Pleasant, Dundalk.
The Omagh bomb was admitted by the dissident republican Real IRA.
It killed 29 people and unborn twins and was the worst single atrocity of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
Mr Murphy's retrial has been ordered on two grounds relating to the evidence of detectives at his trial.
