Families of the 29 people murdered by the Real IRA in Omagh launched an appeal for £2 million sterling today to fund a civil suit against the suspected bombers.
The Garda and the RUC believe they know the identities of those who carried out the bombing but say they do not have sufficient evidence for a conviction.
The families hope to win some measure of justice for their loved ones by forcing the suspects before a civil court, where standards of proof are lower and a successful action more likely.
But they need at least £1 million by August to issue writs before the expiry of a three-year deadline for the lodging of a civil litigation claim.
Mr Victor Barker, whose son James (12) was among the dead, said: "This campaign is not political, not motivated by a partisan interest or bitterness or a desire for revenge, but by a desire for justice. There can be no lasting peace without justice and we ask everyone for their support in getting some justice for those who died.
"This is a campaign in which members of the public can contribute and stand up themselves against terrorists rather than simply relying on the police and the armed forces.
"Omagh is with us every waking hour. As time passes, there is no real healing; we simply learn to live with it a little better every day," Mr Barker said.
PA