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Seamus Daly: Arlene Foster to meet DPP over Omagh case

The aftermath of the 1998 Omagh bombing. Picture by Pacemaker
The aftermath of the 1998 Omagh bombing. Picture by Pacemaker The aftermath of the 1998 Omagh bombing. Picture by Pacemaker

FIRST Minister Arlene Foster is to meet director of public prosecutions Barra McGrory following the collapse of the case against Seamus Daly, the man accused of the Omagh bombing.

Mr Daly (45), from Jonesborough, Co Armagh, was released from Maghaberry jail on Tuesday afternoon after the prosecution case against him collapsed before it reached trial.

The Public Prosecution Service withdrew the charges during a routine magistrate's hearing at Ballymena Courthouse. The collapse of the case was prompted by fatal contradictions in the evidence of the prosecution's key witness.

The Real IRA attack on Omagh in 1998 left 29 people dead, including a woman pregnant with twins, and 220 injured.

Speaking at the building site of a new £100 million hospital and health centre in the Co Tyrone town, Mrs Foster said the way the victims' families had been treated was "unacceptable".

"It is very disappointing to hear of the manner in which the families learned about this development," she said.

"We will want to ask questions around that. We will also want to ask questions about why the DPP decided not to proceed in terms of this case and we'll be following that up with him."

"We want to ask questions around the conduct of the case how it was taken forward and how they communicated with the families, because I just feel that the way in which they were treated is unacceptable.

"There's always hope in terms of finding justice."