A 34-year-old man from south Armagh is likely to be charged with murdering the 29 people who died in the Omagh bomb atrocity, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday.
The disclosure was made by a prosecution lawyer opposing a bail application by Mr Sean Gerard Hoey, an electrician from Molly Road, Jonesborough, Co Armagh.
He has been in custody since September on 15 charges involving explosives and membership of the "Real IRA".
One of the charges relates to the possession of a timer power unit between March 1997 and August 16th, 1998, the day after the bombing.
Mr Gordon Kerr QC said police had informed Mr Hoey that a file to be submitted to the DPP by the end of May would include a request that he should be charged with the murder of 29 people in Omagh and child destruction of two unborn babies.
Mr Kerr said that in 15 different bomb attacks the timer units in all the devices came from a batch bought from a French firm by a fictitious company named Electra Technics in Dundalk. A forensic expert had checked the timer power units and believed one person had made all the bombs.
Mr Kerr said Mr Hoey's DNA was found on the power unit of a Lisburn car bomb, significantly on the tape which led to the detonator and tape going to the booster charge. "It is clear that a person with that connection to that part of the device is the bomb-maker," he said.
Mr Philip Magee SC, defending, said: "Essentially, the crown case is that the same person must have made all of these devices because of the fibre and glue used, but there is no link between the applicant and the fibres."
He said Mr Hoey had constantly denied being a member of any illegal organisation.
Lord Justice Nicholson said he was satisfied there was a strong case against Mr Hoey.
"I am satisfied there is a real risk he would not turn up for his trial, and in relation to the activities of the RIRA I am satisfied that a person who is a prima-facie bomb-maker is liable to be used as a bomb-maker in the continuation of those activities.
"In the circumstances bail is refused."