A south Armagh man is to be charged later this month with murdering the 29 people killed in the Omagh bomb atrocity, it was confirmed in the High Court in Belfast yesterday.
Seán Gerard Hoey, a 35- year-old electrician, from Molly Road, Jonesborough, who has been in custody since September 2003 on other terrorist charges, was due to apply for bail yesterday.
But his lawyer Martin O'Rourke applied to adjourn the application following last week's disclosure that Hoey was to be charged in relation to the "Real IRA" bomb attack in Omagh on August 16th, 1998.
Mr O'Rourke told Mr Justice Higgins that the bail application was lodged on April 22nd, 2005.
"Since then there have been extensive media reports that the applicant is to be charged with the Omagh bombing and the 29 murders relating to that incident," he said.
"I am told by the crown that it is intended to serve preliminary inquiry papers on the defendant by the 19th of this month and that it is proposed to hold a preliminary enquiry (PE) on May 26th."
Gordon Kerr QC, for the crown, said he could confirm that the police had received a direction from the DPP on April 19th that murder charges in relation to the Omagh bombing would be considered by a magistrate at a preliminary inquiry.
Mr O'Rourke said Hoey was already facing a total of 20 charges relating to the possession of explosive devices and associated offences.
The charges relate to bomb attacks in Armagh, Banbridge, Lisburn and Newry.
Mr O'Rourke said he had ascertained from Mr Kerr that the prosecutor's evidence would contain some additional forensic reports relating to the evidence against the defendant.
"In the light of the developments in the case and the fact that preliminary inquiry papers are due to be received within nine days, it is my application to adjourn in order that we can see the full extent of the evidence against the defendant," he said.
"At the moment, we have been given limited access to some of the forensic reports, but obviously the picture will be complete when the full PE papers are made available."
Mr Justice Higgins said he would adjourn the application generally, but if it was to be renewed within a short time the court would appreciate some advance notice.