DUBLIN, Sep. 7, 00 (CWNews.com)

    The true toll from the 1998 Omagh bomb, Northern Ireland's worst terrorist attack, was 31 rather than 29, coroner John Leckey said Wednesday on the opening day of the inquest into the deaths.

    In his opening address, Leckey said: "As a consequence of the explosion 29 persons died, including a 30-year-old woman who was about 34 weeks pregnant and expecting twin girls. The unborn twin girls also died as a result of the bomb explosion. Who could deny that the true number of fatalities was in reality 31?"

    The case of the twins being carried by Avril Monaghan, one of three generations of the same family killed by the explosion, was also cited by lawyers acting for families of 21 of the victims.

    Barry Fox, acting for the family of Mrs. Monaghan, submitted a plea for the two unborn twins to be fully recognized in the process which opened in Omagh's leisure center.

    "The unborn twins were fully developed human beings," he said. "The family felt upset that so far the status of the unborn twins had not been properly recognized. They feel they were as much a part of the family as the people they actually lost."

We encourage you to check the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the Dossiers, features and Daily Dispatches from ZENIT International News Agency CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC, but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.