Family members of some of the 29 people killed in last August's car-bomb explosion in Omagh said yesterday they were angered at the failure of the town's council to carry overwhelmingly a motion calling on a 32-County Sovereignty Movement councillor to resign his seat. Mr Francis Mackey, who was originally elected on to Omagh District Council as a Sinn Fein councillor, said following Tuesday night's meeting that he would not resign his seat.
After a contentious debate in the council chamber, a Sinn Fein motion calling on Mr Mackey to resign was supported only by members of Sinn Fein.
The council's three SDLP, three Ulster Unionist, two DUP and four other councillors, among them Mr Mackey, abstained. There was, however, confusion following the vote.
The council's chief executive, Mr John McKinney, said the minutes of the meeting would show that two councillors voted against Sinn Fein's motion.
Mr Laurence Rush, whose wife, Libby, was among the people killed in the August 15th explosion, said: "As far as the public in Omagh is concerned, a vast majority of councillors had it in their hands to make Councillor Mackey's position untenable but by abstaining they failed the people."
Mr Michael Gallagher, whose son, Adrian (21), was killed in the explosion, said he was disappointed at the decision.
Mr Peter Breslin, who also lost a relative in the "Real IRA" bomb, said the councillors were not properly prepared for the meeting.