A man accused of the 29 Omagh bomb murders was sent for trial yesterday after a magistrate ruled that he had a case to answer.
Seán Hoey, a 36-year-old electrician, from Molly Road, Jonesborough, south Armagh, showed no emotion as he was remanded in custody after a four-day committal hearing at Belfast Magistrates' Court.
Mr Hoey denied the murders and a string of bomb charges as well as membership of the "Real IRA" the dissident republican organisation which carried out the Omagh bombing.
Magistrate Desmond Perry said the case against Mr Hoey almost entirely depended on detailed forensic examination of a huge quantity of evidence. "The crown invited me to look at the cumulative effect of the evidence pointing to the conclusion that the defendant was the man who manufactured 14 explosive devices, one of which devastated the centre of Omagh in August, 1998, resulting in the tragic deaths of 29 innocent people," said Mr Perry.
The court had earlier heard that Mr Hoey's DNA was on three bombs, including one found at Altmore Forest, Co Tyrone, and the possibility of it being anyone other than him was 68 million to one.
Mr Perry described that evidence as significant and said it had a major impact on the strength of fibre evidence linking Mr Hoey to bombs. "I can find no innocent explanation for the defendant's DNA on these devices," he said.
Referring to defence arguments that the DNA was found on detonators which could have been added after the bombs were made, he said: "I consider that to be fatuous when I consider that the defendant's trade is an electrician."
Mr Perry went on: "A similar code word was used in the Lisburn and Omagh bombs which shows a nexus between them and the other charges, that they were planted by the same group and there was clear DNA evidence linking the defendant."
He threw out three charges relating to a bomb at Devonshire Place, Belfast, on the grounds that there was not enough evidence.
"Otherwise, I am satisfied on all the other charges that there is a case to answer," said Mr Perry.
Mr Hoey was asked to stand in the dock as a court clerk asked if he wished to call evidence or say anything in answer to the charge and he mouthed the word "No". As he left the dock he waved to relatives.
Mr Hoey's trial will take place at Belfast Crown Court before a judge sitting without a jury. The hearing is expected to last two months and is unlikely to start until next year.
Laurence Rush, whose wife Libby was killed in the Omagh bombing, said: "I hope we will get the justice my wife deserves and all the other families as well."