Omagh bomb trial: 'I did not tell the truth' says key witness
A key prosecution witness in the trial of Colm Murphy, the only man charged in connection with the Omagh bomb, today retracted his evidence at the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Patrick Terence Morgan , from Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, said he was put under pressure by the gardai to say he lent his mobile phone to Murphy the day before the bomb in August, 1998.
Mr Morgan, who told the court he is a second cousin of the accused, said he had gone to a solicitor in Newry last Monday and said that statements he made to the RUC were improperly obtained and added:``I can't sleep because I did not tell the truth.''
Mr Morgan was called as a witness by prosecuting counsel Mr Peter Charelton SC when the trial resumed today after an adjournment of almost two months because of the illness of one of the three judges.
Mr Morgan said he was put under pressure by the gardai.
Mr Morgan said:``I can't sleep. I can't live with myself after this act saying I gave the phone to him.''
He said he went to his solicitor because he wanted it ``off my conscience.'' Asked by Mr Charleton what he was in court to say, Mr Morgan replied: ``I'm here to say I did not give him the phone.'' Mr Charleton said:``At all?'' and he replied :``At all, it was in the van.''
Mr Charleton asked him if he was under pressure today and he said:``No I am not under pressure today.''
The trial was adjourned last November after one of the three judges, Judge Mary O' Halloran, became ill.
The prosecution is alleging that Mr Murphy lent his mobile phone and another mobile phone he obtained from an innocent party to the people who planted the Omagh bomb.
Earlier in the trial Detective Garda James B Hanley told the court that Murphy had admitted in interviews that he lent his mobile phone to known republicans, knowing it would be used for moving bombs.
On November 14th last Mr Morgan said that he worked as a bricklayer for the accused. He said that the RUC had seized a Nokia mobile phone belonging to him when they searched his house in February, 1999.Mr Morgan said he remembered August 14th, 1998, the day before the Omagh bombing.
He said that he had his mobile phone with him that day when he was blocklaying at Dublin City University. He said he "gave a loan" of his phone to Colm Murphy.
"He came on to the job and said his phone wasn't working right and he asked for a lend of the phone so I gave it to him,'' he said.
Mr Morgan said he had never lent his phone to Murphy before and he did not give him his PIN number. He said he got his phone back on the following Monday or Tuesday.
The trial continues.
