Relatives of victims of the Omagh bombing and several former Northern Ireland Secretaries yesterday announced a campaign to raise £2 million sterling for a civil action against those suspected of carrying out the bombing, writes Rachel Donnelly.
To ensure a civil action can be launched, the Omagh Victims' Legal Fund needs £1 million by August but the total cost of the action has been put at £2 million.
Endorsing the fund at its launch in the House of Commons, the former Northern Ireland secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, said the activities of dissident terrorists was the "single biggest threat to the peace process in Northern Ireland". Mr Mandelson has donated £10,000 to the fund.
Several former Northern Ireland Secretaries, including Mr Mandelson, Mr Peter Brooke, Mr Tom King and Mr Douglas Hurd, have pledged their support for the fund.
Also attending the launch was the former SDLP leader, Lord Fitt, who called on the British and Irish governments to financially support the civil action.