Sister of Omagh bomb victim Alan Radford says 'there is no justice' after Colm Murphy death

The sister of a teenager murdered in the Omagh bomb nearly 25 years ago says there is 'no justice' after a man found liable for the terrorist attack in a civil court died.

Colm Murphy passed away in the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday.

No one has been jailed for the so called 'Real IRA' atrocity in 1998.

In February the Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris ordered an independent inquiry into the bomb.

Colm Murphy, 70, died in hospital in Co Louth on Tuesday, according to a family death notice.

Originally from Co Armagh, Mr Murphy was convicted of the Real IRA atrocity in 2002 by a Dublin court, something he always denied.

The conviction was later quashed and he was eventually cleared of any crime on appeal in 2010. However, following a case brought by some of the families killed in the explosion, a civil court ruled in 2013 he was liable for the bomb attack.

Claire Radford's brother Alan Radford was only 16 when he was killed.

She says that he died alone, while Colm Murphy had his family by his side.

"I have lived longer now without Alan than I did with him and Colm Murphy got to live his life freely.

"It's Alan's death, he got blown up, died lying on the street, face down, nobody around him, not a family member there and these people get to lie in a lovely hospital bed, in a dignified manner, family called, prayers said over the top of their bodies," she said.

Twenty nine people and unborn twins were murdered when a car bomb exploded on Omagh's Main Street back in August 1998.

It was only four months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Claire says it has been tough to handle the events which have commemorated the 25th anniversary of the deal.

"The past week, two weeks has all been about the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and it's a statement that I detest hearing," she said.

"It's just the reminder that Omagh happened post-Good Friday Agreement and that Alan died in peace times and I will never get over Alan's death, never.

"I'll never get over his murder."

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