THE decision by the British Government to not use frozen Libyan assets to compensate the victims of IRA attacks which used weapons and Semtex supplied by the country has been labelled by the son of a man who was killed in the Enniskillen Bomb as “a kick in the gut” to the victims of those atrocities.

Stephen Gault was standing beside his father, Samuel, when the bomb exploded on November 8, 1987, killing 12 people.

For the past 16 years he, along with others, has been in a fight for compensation for victims and says this is another time they have been let down.

Talking to The Impartial Reporter, he said: “We’ve been involved in this compensation writ since 2005. It’s not something that has happened in the last couple of years – this has been going on, as I say, since 2005.

“To be perfectly honest, I feel myself, personally, betrayed; let down. I’m not surprised by the British government, to be quite honest, in this whole saga,” Stephen told this paper.

Stephen stressed that the issue was not about money, but as a way to hold somebody accountable for some of the atrocities carried out during The Troubles.

He added: “It’s all about justice in a certain way, but [also particularly for] someone to be held accountable.

“The Enniskillen [Bomb], people were arrested, but there’s no charges laid; nobody served prison time. You know, it’s just one thing after another.

“Our own police service have failed us over the years by not pursuing justice. The British Government has let us down by not granting us an inquiry.

“When you roll on then to include the Libya compensation [issue], the latest thing that has upset all the Enniskillen families is the siting of the permanent memorial which, to me, I have heard nothing about in the past two years.

‘One hurdle after another’

“We weren’t allowed to actually have it situated at the bomb site, so you can see that it’s just so frustrating for the families. It’s always one hurdle after another we have to go through.”

Stephen believes that there are reasons as to why the British government won’t pay compensation, while he also points out that Germany, France and the USA have had compensation from Libya paid out to victims.

He claimed: “I personally think that there’s something being hidden by the British government, there’s been dirty tricks by the British government. They know exactly who’s responsible.

“They had prior knowledge, and why they’re not going after them – I think – it has to do with the Peace Process. I just think the British government don’t want to rock the Peace Process.”

Since the writ for compensation began 16 years ago, Stephen ponts out that some of those who signed it have now passed away, including his mother, without any progress being made in their search for truth and justice.

And he does not believe anything will come of it in the near future.

“Maybe down the line we’re hoping and praying that something comes of it, but as I say, I will not be holding my breath, to be quite honest. I would say it’s just one kick in the gut after another when it comes to the Enniskillen Bomb.”