The Omagh five: Colm Murphy

Jailed for 14 years for conspiring to cause the Omagh outrage, Murphy is the only person to be charged in connection with the massacre.

A Dublin judge labelled the father of four and successful businessman a 'seasoned terrorist'.

Murphy, 49, a publican and builder, has been involved with the Irish National Liberation Army - the group which killed Tory MP Airey Neave - and was active with the Provisional IRA until they declared their ceasefire in 1996.

At the time of the Omagh atrocity he was on the ruling Army Council of the Continuity IRA, which worked hand-inglove with the Real IRA.

One security source said: 'He never had the guts to be a real handson terrorist but he was always in the background providing guns and explosives for them.

'As a builder who worked all over Ireland, he was able to transport men and explosives for them and was also in a position to employ known terrorists and to launder terrorist money.

'No terror group can exist without men like Murphy giving them sustenance.'

Shortly before the Omagh families launched their legal action he reportedly transferred £188,000 of his assets into relatives' bank accounts in a bid to keep his assets out of reach.

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