Decision on Omagh bomb inquiry to be made in January

The bombing was carried out by the Real IRA just months after the Good Friday Agreement was signed

A decision on whether to order a new investigation or public inquiry into the Omagh bombing is expected to be made in January, the High Court has heard.

Counsel for the Northern Ireland secretary disclosed the new timeline in an ongoing legal battle by one of those bereaved in the Real IRA attack.

The bomb exploded in the County Tyrone town on 15 August 1998.

It was the biggest single atrocity in the NI Troubles, killing 29 people.

Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden was among those killed in the August 1998 atrocity, is campaigning for a full public inquiry.

Last year, the High Court ruled it was plausible there was a real prospect the bombing could have been stopped.

Lord Justice Horner ruled that the bombing could arguably have been thwarted if police had received all available intelligence.

The judge called for new investigations on both sides of the Irish border.

Mr Gallagher has returned to court to challenge alleged government delays and failures to act on those findings.

Earlier this month Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris asked for more time to consider if there should be an investigation or public inquiry into whether the Omagh bombing was preventable.

In court on Monday, Paul Mclaughlin KC said: "We anticipate a decision from the secretary of state some time around mid-January."

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Based on the revised time frame, a hearing of the legal action was put back to April next year.

Mr Gallagher's barrister, Hugh Southey KC, expressed concern at the continued wait.

"There's been outstanding delay in breach of Article 2 for some time, it's slightly strange to see why this is necessary," he said.

Urging both sides to keep working, Lord Justice Horner pencilled in a further review in early February.

He told Mr McLaughlin: "I expect you to be able to inform the court what the decision is.

"I want to get this case resolved finally. Let's move as quickly as we can."