Kevin Winters

Belfast firm KRW Law is acting for a number of families affected by fatal explosions in Belfast, Enniskillen, Derry, Newry and London between 1987 and 1994.

The law firm yesterday issued the first in a number of High Court actions in the case of Seamus Sullivan and George Brown, who were injured in bomb blasts on the Falls Road in 1988 and on the Shankill Road in 1993 respectively.

KRW will ask the High Court to seek leave to serve the proceedings outside the jurisdiction after further discovery applications against the PSNI, which has not confirmed the use of Libyan-supplied Semtex in specific incidents.

In a statement, the firm said it is “disappointing that despite the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Reports in 2015 and 2017 confirming the supply of Semtex from Libya to paramilitaries in Ireland, the PSNI have steadfastly refused to confirm its use in specific incidents”.

The firm added: “In the absence of any good reason it can only be assumed it is to prevent many possible legal actions for similarly affected bereaved and injured.”

Solicitor Kevin Winters said: “As ever when it comes to justice issues involving the conflict, politics seems to get in the way. Our test case litigation will hopefully side-step all previous politicking including the real reasons why previous British administrations failed to address this ongoing justice deficit.”