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The father of murder victim Roy Collins has told the Special Criminal Court that Wayne Dundon made intimidating gestures towards him during a previous criminal trial.

Steve Collins told the non-jury court that Mr Dundon was on trial in 2005 charged with threatening to kill his stepson. Mr Collins said that the accused kept staring at him and tapping his watch “indicating what I thought was ‘my time had come.’

Wayne Dundon (36), of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect and Nathan Killeen (24) of Hyde Road, Prospect have both pleaded not guilty to the murder of 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Road Shopping Centre on April 9, 2009.

Mr Collins was at work around noon that day when a gunman entered his amusement arcade and shot him in the chest.

It is the prosecution case that Mr Dundon directed the murder from prison and Mr Killeen was the getaway driver.

The deceased’s father, Steve Collins, earlier told the trial that after being shot, his son told him how much he loved him but could not say who had fired the gun.

The prosecution recalled Mr Collins to the witness box today to ask him about a trial that took place in May 2005 in which Mr Dundon was accused of threatening to kill his step-son.

Mr Collins told prosecuting counsel Michael O’Higgins SC that he attended every day of the trial. He said that every day Mr Dundon would be listening to music on his headphones.

He said the accused kept tapping his watch and staring at him which caused him concern.

“It felt very intimidating,” he told counsel. “Like at some stage he was going to get me and that my time would come.”

Counsel for Mr Dundon, Remy Farrell SC, suggested to Mr Collins that the incident never happened and told him that prisoners aren’t allowed wear watches.

Mr Collins replied that he believed it was a watch but it could have been a bracelet.

The current trial has already heard evidence from Mr Dundon’s first cousin, Anthony “Noddy” McCarthy who is serving a life sentence for murder.

Mr McCarthy gave evidence that Mr Dundon told him that he had ordered the murder of Roy Collins.

He tapped the wrist of his watch hand when telling the trial that Mr Dundon said: “Steve Collins didn’t believe me when I did that in court”.

The court’s three judges have also viewed the gun which was allegedly used in Mr Collins’ murder.

Ballistics expert, Detective Garda David O’Leary, showed an unloaded 9mm pistol to the court. He said he received this for examination in 2012 along with a magazine containing 3 bullets.

He said the gun was rusted and covered in soil and organic material suggesting it had been improperly stored. However he was able to fire it after oiling it and removing some of the rust.

He said it was his view that marks on a cartridge found at the murder scene matched up to the handgun.

The court earlier heard that the gun was found in the grounds of a rugby club three years after the murder, by three men who were doing community service.

The trial continues, presided over by Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley.

https://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/crime-desk/ryan-family-is-targetted-by-criminals

Alan Ryan family is targetted by criminals.

The family of slain Real IRA kingpin Alan Ryan are being targeted by criminals who are confident that the terror group is powerless to strike back, the Sunday World has learned.

A car belonging to an innocent family member was parked in the driveway of the family home at Grange Abbey Drive in Donaghmede, on Dublin’s northside, last week when it was set alight during the night.

It was completely torched and gardai are treating the incident as arson. They say there are several possible suspects who could have been behind it.

It is understood that over the last few months the family home has been attacked on several occasions and that windows have been smashed.

There is CCTV all around the house and whoever was behind the spate of incidents knew this because they made sure to cover their faces.

Sources say that the gang, led by a criminal from Clontarf, who was responsible for shooting Alan Ryan dead in September 2012, could have been behind the attacks, but there are a number of theories.

Another is that low-level thugs from the local area were responsible because they were sick of the way Alan Ryan terrorised them and extorted money from them when he was alive.

A source said: “Alan Ryan was a hard and ruthless man. He tortured lots of people and there was a lot of bad feeling towards him.

“Since his murder, the Real IRA have imploded and people believe they can have a go at the family with impunity. Had Alan been alive and his brother’s car was burnt out then somebody would have been murdered, simple as.”

http://www.herald.ie/news/dublin-drugs-gangs-working-from-liverpool-30356472.html

Dublin drugs gangs working from Liverpool.

By Ken Foy – 16 June 2014 12:00 AM
MORE than a dozen of the country’s most dangerous criminal masterminds have relocated to Liverpool where they have been involved in organising major drug shipments into the country over the past few months, the Herald can reveal.

Included in the Merseyside Cartel’ are senior figures in the gang that murdered Real IRA terror chief Alan Ryan as well as a number of other senior gangsters who are based in England to escape attention from gardai and rival mobs.

Sources say that the expat criminals have held a number of crime summits and are taking advantage of the lack of police attention in the city that traditionally has had close links with organised criminality here.

A senior source said: “Intelligence has come in that indicates that these criminals, who are primarily from north Dublin, have linked up with local crime gangs and are working together with them to bring in drugs from Spain where other Irish criminals are based.”

One of the most senior of these gangsters is a major league criminal who spends most of his time between Liverpool and a property in Co Meath.

He has barely any previous record despite being one of the main targets of the international police investigation codenamed Operation Majesty which was revealed last September.

Gardai released details at that time that €2.5m in cash, €2.5m worth of cannabis herb along with firearms, ammunition, grenades and luxury cars have been seized in Ireland and across Europe in connection with Majesty.

The gang being targeted are believed to have set up a massive criminal operation importing cannabis from the Netherlands into Ireland via the postal system.

contraband

Operation Majesty was revealed almost two years after gardai targeted the gang boss in separate raids that led to the seizure of €4.4m worth of drugs and thousands of euro worth of contraband cigarettes

The gangster in control of the operation is a 36-year-old who works closely with his younger brother in Liverpool.

They were both very close associates of Sean Dunne, a well-known armed robber and drug dealer who disappeared in Spain in 2004. He is presumed to have been murdered.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/c...uest-by-coroner

Fat Deccy’s family warned of distressing inquest by coroner.

‘Fat’ Deccy Smith was gunned down last March while dropping his son off at the Little Rainbows Creche in Donaghmede, north Dublin and died a week later in hospital.

The Real IRA gangster and associate of slain paramilitary boss Alan Ryan died from shotgun wounds to the face and neck, the inquest heard.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell warned Deccy’s family that the cause of his death given in his preliminary report is “distressing” before going on to say that Smith died from "shotgun injuries to the face and neck".

Smith (32) from Bunratty Road, Coolock, Dublin 17, and originally from Belfast survived for a week in Beaumont Hospital before succumbing to his injuries on the 28th of March.

‘Fat’ Deccy Smith was well known to gardai and his death is believed to be connected with a gang feud.

Detective Inspector Tony Howard confirmed that gardaí are pursuing a homicide investigation and inquiries are “very active and ongoing”.

Dr Farrell adjourned the inquest for further mention on December 15 after Detective Inspector Howard requested a six month adjournment of the inquest to allow time for the investigation to continue.

http://www.herald.ie/news/gardai-raid-houses-after-rira-tipoff-30403035.html

Gardai raid houses after RIRA tip-off.

BY KEN FOY – 03 JULY 2014 12:00 AM

HEAVILY armed gardai carried out dramatic raids on houses in north Dublin just hours after a man, who was accused of murdering former head of the Real IRA, gave officers a statement and agreed to become a prosecution witness.

Sources have revealed that the raids happened at an estate in Balbriggan on Saturday morning just hours after David Cullen (30), of Brackenwood Ave, Balbriggan, agreed to become a State witness against his three co-accused charged with the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly.

sentence

Sources say that it is likely that Cullen will now have to go into the Witness Protection Programme after finishing a three-and-a-half-year sentence, which was imposed on him yesterday at the Special Criminal Court.

A source told the Herald: "The raids that happened at the weekend on three homes were the first of a number of additional searches that will take place in light of new information provided to gardai.

"Mr Cullen is now in a very precarious position and will require to be on protection in jail and will most likely have to go into the Witness Protection Programme when he is finished his sentence."

It is understood that no fireams were discovered during the raids at the three houses in Balbriggan last Saturday as the investigation into Butterly's gruesome murder continues.

Yesterday, at the Special Criminal Court, David Cullen (30), of Brackenwood Ave, Balbriggan, pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6, 2013.

Last year, Cullen and his co-accused Edward McGrath (32), of Land Dale Lawns, Springfield, Tallaght, Dean Evans (22), of Grange Park Rise, Raheny, and Sharif Kelly (43) of Pinewood Green Road, Balbriggan were charged with the murder of Peter Butterly. They all deny the charge.

murder

Butterly, a 35-year-old father of two, was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6, 2013.

Ms Una Ni Raifeartaigh SC, for the State, said that Cullen's plea was acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions and a nolle prosequi - a decision not to proceed - would be entered on the count of murder.

The court heard yesterday that David Cullen had made contact with gardai through his solicitor and indicated a willingness to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution.

On June 27, Cullen gave a voluntary statement giving details of the offences and the involvement of certain people.

foy@herald.ie

Butterly eh? It's ironic that a lot of these RIRA lads have planters surnames.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/n...steard-o-murchu

New IRA in commander cock-up.

MEET the installed dissident terror chief Richard Murphy - or Commander Cock-Up as he is being called.

Murphy or Risteard O’Murchu, as he prefers to be known, has been made New IRA chief in Belfast but has already been labelled a lame duck leader after presiding over a series of operational catastrophes.

The top job was allegedly held by Alex McCrory who is currently behind bars charged with conspiracy to possess firearms and explosives with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to murder and IRA membership.

However O’Murchu has been viewed with deep suspicion by several republicans for almost two decades.

He was arrested in early ‘90s for the possession of an explosives training video.

The Belfast man, who was then linked to the IRA, pleaded guilty but avoided jail and was handed a 19 month suspended sentence – an almost unprecedented level of lenience in the face of such serious charges under the Diplock trial system.

It prompted many republicans to regard him with mistrust and for many their suspicions were confirmed after the arrest of two men in the late 1990s in

the grounds of Beechlawn House Hotel in south Belfast.

A home-made rocket launcher was recovered and the two men arrested were charged and received lengthy jails sentences.

An undercover police cordon had been thrown around the hotel but still O’Murchu managed to escape.
Dissident sources have also told us he is suspected of having been involved in the arrests of other combatants. One such incident involved the recovery of a document from a house in West Belfast which, it is claimed, he had delivered.

The owner of the home was arrested and later charged with possession of information that may have been of use to terrorists.

O’Murchu, who has also had links to Erigi and the 1916 Societies, has been loosely involved with the New IRA since its formation.

Regularly seen in the company of senior members of the group, including two members of the ruling Collective Leadership, he is also a close associate of dissident groupie Brendan ‘Mr Bean’ Conway, another north Belfast man.

He is already being regarded as a lame duck leader with all operations carried under his watch deemed to have been a failure or at best compromised – and the list is endless.

Sources have linked him with the recovery of 10lb of Semtex discovered in a flat in the New Lodge area in March 2014.

A close associate and deputy of O’Murchu who hails from the Bone Area of the city has also been implicated.

The same person is currently under investigation by the NIRA after his involvement in supplying the weapons used in an attack on a PSNI Land Rover as it drove down the Crumlin Road. One of the rifles, an AK47 was tampered with and did not fire.

The weapons were discarded as the hit team panicked and fled.

A failed bomb attack on a police patrol as it passed the City Cemetery has also been laid at O’Murchu’s feet.

Contrary to reports PSNI sources say the device hit a concrete pillar and not the jeep. O’Murchu is suspected of planting the device in such a way that it would not strike the police vehicle.

With no operational experience his appointment is seen at best as a clear indication of the lack of experienced people within the NIRA ranks and a statement of their lack of intent.

“The only people in danger from the NIRA at the minute are those stupid enough to be involved with them,” a security source told the Sunday World.

O’Murchu was arrested and questioned in connection to the murder of North Belfast drug dealer Kevin Kearney. His sidekick Brendan Conway was also arrested in connection of the murder last October.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/n...ists-in-belfast

Man stabbed in clashes between republicans and loyalists in Belfast.

A man has been stabbed during fighting between republican and loyalist factions in Northern Ireland.

The victim, 28, was treated in hospital for injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening, police said. They were suffered during clashes at a normally peaceful sectarian interface in South Belfast in the early hours of this morning.

The trouble happened as the city gears up for the annual 'Twelfth of July' commemorations - the most significant fixture in the Protestant loyal order marching calendar and often a time of heightened community tensions.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "At approximately 3.10am, police received a report that a man had been stabbed and that rival factions were fighting in the area."

The violence happened at the Ormeau bridge, an arterial link which separates predominantly nationalist and unionist residential areas.

The police spokesman added:

"Police attended the area and the two groups were separated at approximately 3.30am. Police stayed in the area for several more hours to ensure that the area remained calm."
Senior officers and members of the Orange Order have expressed hopes that violence will be averted today as protests are held across the region against a restriction on a contentious Belfast parade.

Up to 50 protest marches are planned this evening to display anger at the determination by the Parades Commission to prevent Orange lodge members walking along a section of the Crumlin Road that sits adjacent to the nationalist Ardoyne neighbourhood in North Belfast.

But police and Orangemen are cautiously optimistic that the day will pass off without a repeat of the serious violence that has marred previous Twelfths.

While the bitter dispute over the Crumlin Road parade in north Belfast remains unresolved, considerable efforts have been undertaken to ensure community tensions that have erupted into major rioting in previous years are channelled in a peaceful manner.

At the flashpoint in the unionist Woodvale area where the parade will be stopped by police from progressing to the Crumlin Road this evening, Orange leaders have pledged that protest activity will be well marshalled and participants will disperse promptly at the conclusion.

A lack of effective marshalling last year was identified as one of the factors that led to violence flaring.

While the parade has been allowed to pass down the Crumlim Road early this morning, planned protests by nationalist residents groups have been called off.

Yesterday a judge rejected a legal challenge against the decision to restrict the evening parade.

Dismissing the bid to judicially review the Parades Commission determination, Mr Justice Weir implored both sides of the dispute to come to a local accommodation over the long-standing impasse.

With the total bill for policing parades and flags disputes in Northern Ireland over the last 20 months standing at around £55 million, there is a significant financial imperative in avoiding further trouble this year.

In recent years when the parade was permitted to pass the Ardoyne, republicans engaged in serious rioting. When it was restricted last year, loyalists were responsible for the disorder.

The plans for peaceful protest outlined by the Orange Order have been accompanied by a joint call from a broad range of unionist and loyalist political parties, including two with links to paramilitary groups, for the Twelfth to pass off lawfully.

Grand Lodge of Ireland Grand Secretary Drew Nelson said every effort had been made to deliver a peaceful day.

"I would have a message for young protestants or any protestant or unionist who feels strongly about what's happening now - if you lift a stone or a bottle on the Twelfth day you are falling into a republican trap," he said.

Mr Nelson added: "I think I am a lot more hopeful than I was two weeks ago."

A senior police source has expressed "guarded optimism" about a peaceful outcome. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) source said officers had detected "no appetite for violence" within communities.

Despite hoping for the best, police have made major preparations in case things do go wrong. There will be 3,500 officers deployed across Northern Ireland, almost a third of whom will be in north Belfast.

Of 58 public order units on stand-by (each comprising 25 officers), 36 will be in north Belfast tomorrow evening.

Last year the PSNI operation was supported by 630 mutual aid officers travelling from forces in England, Scotland and Wales. No additional manpower has been ordered this year - though contingencies are in place to call upon the resource if needed.

A stark figure that may well deter young people from engaging in violence this year is the almost 700 people charged or reported to prosecutors in Northern Ireland last year in relation to parade and protest-related disorder.

While not all cases have progressed through the criminal justice system, 561 people have been convicted to date and many have ended up in prison, with five years the stiffest term handed down.

The Government has pledged to consider a demand from unionist and loyalist politicians to set up a commission of inquiry into the Crumlin Road parading dispute.

The undertaking from Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers on Thursday came after pro-Union political leaders in the region warned that their co-operation in various levels of governance would be affected if such a probe was not ordered.

The call was part of the unionist and loyalist so-called "graduated" political response to the Parades Commission's decision.

The Democratic Unionists and Ulster Unionists have combined over the issue with the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party, the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG).

The PUP has links to the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) while the UPRG would have a similar political advisory role in respect of the outlawed Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/news/bomb-defused-in-dublin

Army say bomb defused in Dublin was 'viable.

THE Army Bomb Disposal Team has made safe a viable explosive device found in Dublin this afternoon.

The device was found outside a house in a residential area of Drimnagh near Our Lady's Children Hospital at around 3.50pm.

A number of nearby houses were evacuated, a cordon and road closures were put in place for public safety.

Captain Donal Gallagher of the Irish Defence Forces said the area was declared safe shortly before half four.

"There was a suspect device found outside a private residence just near Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Drimnagh," Capt Gallagher said.

"Gardaí called the army bomb disposal team for their assistance.

"They arrived on the scene at 3.50pm - the device was declared viable and made safe without the need for a controlled explosion."

http://www.herald.ie/news/garda-alert-after-car-of-gangsters-wife-smashed-up-30428379.html

Garda alert after car of gangster's wife smashed up.

BY KEN FOY – 14 JULY 2014 12:00 AM

ARMED garda patrols have been increased in a south-Dublin suburb after a 4x4 vehicle owned by a major gangster's wife was smashed up by rival mobsters in an escalation of a two-year feud.

The innocent woman was in her Drimnagh home with her children during the attack on the vehicle, which occurred in the early hours of the morning.

Her husband has fled to Spain because of the campaign of terror against him from the Paul Rice mob, who are trying to recoup a debt of well over €1m that he owes to the Christy Kinahan international drugs cartel.

A senior source told the Herald: "Attacking this woman's car is being seen as a major escalation - that is why armed patrols have been increased on the street in which she lives.

"Her husband is one of the few people around to give two fingers to the Christy Kinahan mob and refuse to pay up when they demand cash."

Paul Rice had been enlisted by Ireland's richest international drugs syndicate to try to recoup hundreds of thousands of euro owed to them, which has brought him into direct conflict with the woman's drugs trafficker husband.

Associates of Rice are the chief suspects for the recent attack.

Meanwhile, the Herald has learned that the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is in the final stages of a major investigation that is likely to see the 41-year-old Drimnagh gangster's home being seized as well as high-end cars that he has used to launder his drugs cash.

In February 2012, CAB worked with the Garda National Drugs Unit in a major investigation and seven people were arrested during a series of 30 searches of houses and business premises across Dublin.

Plans to target the gang intensified after detectives discovered that the mob was responsible for a bomb attack on the home of the parents of former pop star and TV presenter Brian Ormond in Clondalkin, west Dublin, at Halloween, 2011.

Officers believe the house was singled out because one of Brian's brothers is a detective in the Garda National Drugs Unit.

Nobody was injured in the blast but the front of the house was damaged by a barrage of nails when the bomb exploded.

intimidation

The investigation into the Drimnagh criminal involved assistance from the Dutch authorities, with gardai establishing that his gang's first major shipment arrived here on June 11, 2009, when 45kg of cannabis - worth €270,000 - was seized.

The gang, led by his arch enemy Paul Rice, has been involved in a campaign of intimidation across the south-side of the city.

In June of last year, there were a number of tit-for-tat incidents between the gangs including homes being attacked. Rice was jailed for 10 years in 1995 for a bank robbery.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.herald.ie/news/garda-alert-after-car-of-gangsters-wife-smashed-up-30428379.html

Garda alert after car of gangster's wife smashed up.

BY KEN FOY – 14 JULY 2014 12:00 AM

ARMED garda patrols have been increased in a south-Dublin suburb after a 4x4 vehicle owned by a major gangster's wife was smashed up by rival mobsters in an escalation of a two-year feud.

The innocent woman was in her Drimnagh home with her children during the attack on the vehicle, which occurred in the early hours of the morning.

Her husband has fled to Spain because of the campaign of terror against him from the Paul Rice mob, who are trying to recoup a debt of well over €1m that he owes to the Christy Kinahan international drugs cartel.

A senior source told the Herald: "Attacking this woman's car is being seen as a major escalation - that is why armed patrols have been increased on the street in which she lives.

"Her husband is one of the few people around to give two fingers to the Christy Kinahan mob and refuse to pay up when they demand cash."

Paul Rice had been enlisted by Ireland's richest international drugs syndicate to try to recoup hundreds of thousands of euro owed to them, which has brought him into direct conflict with the woman's drugs trafficker husband.

Associates of Rice are the chief suspects for the recent attack.

Meanwhile, the Herald has learned that the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is in the final stages of a major investigation that is likely to see the 41-year-old Drimnagh gangster's home being seized as well as high-end cars that he has used to launder his drugs cash.

In February 2012, CAB worked with the Garda National Drugs Unit in a major investigation and seven people were arrested during a series of 30 searches of houses and business premises across Dublin.

Plans to target the gang intensified after detectives discovered that the mob was responsible for a bomb attack on the home of the parents of former pop star and TV presenter Brian Ormond in Clondalkin, west Dublin, at Halloween, 2011.

Officers believe the house was singled out because one of Brian's brothers is a detective in the Garda National Drugs Unit.

Nobody was injured in the blast but the front of the house was damaged by a barrage of nails when the bomb exploded.

intimidation

The investigation into the Drimnagh criminal involved assistance from the Dutch authorities, with gardai establishing that his gang's first major shipment arrived here on June 11, 2009, when 45kg of cannabis - worth €270,000 - was seized.

The gang, led by his arch enemy Paul Rice, has been involved in a campaign of intimidation across the south-side of the city.

In June of last year, there were a number of tit-for-tat incidents between the gangs including homes being attacked. Rice was jailed for 10 years in 1995 for a bank robbery.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/n...-lincoln-courts

Derry man shot "by appointment" in Derry attack.

A 32-year-old man has been shot in what has been described as an attack "by appointment", DUP MLA William Hay has said.

The man was shot in both legs in a play area in the Lincoln Courts area of the Waterside just after 11.30pm on Tuesday.

He is recovering in hospital but his injuries are not life-threatening.

Hay said: "It almost mirrors what dissident republicans have been doing on the Cityside, when young people are almost being ordered to come to a particular area where the shooting takes place.
"This is the first time that we've had an incident of this nature in the Waterside area."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0724/632902-dissident-republicans-released/

Six dissident Republicans released from prison after court challenge.

Six dissident Republicans who were serving lengthy prison sentences for bombing offences in the UK have been released from Portlaoise Prison after they launched High Court challenges against the legality of their detention.

The six are brothers Aiden, 37, and Robert Hulme, 34, Darren Mulholland, 34, James McCormack ,47, Anthony Hyland, 41, and Liam Grogan, 36, who claimed they were entitled to immediate release due to significant differences between the sentencing systems in Ireland and the UK contained in a recent Supreme Court judgment.

The six were convicted and jailed for 20 years or more by the British courts in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

They were transferred back to Ireland to serve out the remainder of their sentences.

They were not entitled to early release under the Good Friday Agreement due to their links to dissident republicanism. They had release dates varying from September of this year to early 2016.

The six applied to the High Court for inquiries, under Articles 40.4.2 of the Irish Constitution, into the legality of their continued detention, which they argued was unlawful.

In what were seen as test cases inquiries sought by Liam Grogan, represented by Michael Ó Higgins SC and Darren Mulholland, represented by John Alymer SC, came before Mr Justice Gerard Hogan.

It was argued that both men had fully served the sentence imposed on them in England, that their continued detention was unlawful.

They also claimed that had the standard Irish remission rates of 25% been applied they would have been due for release some time ago. The state did not contest the applications.

After being informed of the facts of the case the Judge made declarations that their detention was unconstitutional and ordered their immediate release.

Applications for inquires brought by the remaining four applicants were adjourned. When the matter returned before Mr Justice Hogan the court was informed the Hulme brothers, McCormack and Hyland were released and the application for an inquiry was now moot.

Inquiries into the detention of three more dissident republicans, who raise similar arguments, are due before the High Court next week.

In their proceedings the men argued the Irish State was enforcing sentences imposed by the English courts that are not compatible with Irish laws.

Under English law the men were entitled to be released after serving the bulk of their prison terms before being released on license into the community to serve the remainder of their sentence. None of the men had been released as there is no provision in Irish law to be released on license, it was argued.

The men's lawyers claimed the state's position was that all six should remain in prison for the full duration of their sentences.

Their lawyers said the state's position was unlawful. The men had completed their sentences and were entitled to be released, they claimed.

It was also argued that a recent Supreme Court judgment in an action brought by Sligo man Vincent Sweeney, which highlighted significant differences between the sentencing systems in Ireland and the UK, and the position adopted by the State in a number of other similar cases in relation to transferred prisoners supported their case for immediate release.

The case of Sweeney, whose immediate release was ordered by the Supreme court, illustrated that a person is entitled to release when they have served the period of imprisonment compatible with the true nature of the sentence imposed on them in the sentencing state.

It was also argued sentences of more than 20 years, imposed on some of the men, are incompatible with Irish law.

This is because the terms exceeded the maximum sentence permissible in Ireland for a similar offence. 20 years is the maximum sentence a person convicted of similar explosives charges can receive under Irish law.

In 1999 Hyland, Mulholland and Grogan were convicted at the Old Bailey London of conspiring to cause explosions in the UK between June and July of 1998.

The trial heard they were part of a Real IRA gang that plotted to use the explosive semtex and incendiary devices to cause explosions in London.

Hyland, from Mount Tallant, Terenure Dublin was sentenced to 25 years in prison, while Mulholland, Meadow Grove Dundalk and Grogan Lakelands, Naas, Co Kildare were jailed for 22 years. They transferred to Ireland in 2000.

In 2003 the Hulme brothers, from Dundalk in Co Louth, and James McCormack, also from Co Louth, were convicted following their trial at the Old Bailey of conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life and possessing explosions. Their trial heard the men, who were arrested in 2001, were also members of the Real IRA.

They were convicted in relation to a bomb attack outside the BBC television centre in Shepherd's Bush, London in March 2001. They were also convicted in relation to bombings of Ealing Broadway tube station in London in August 2001 and Smallbrook, Queensway, Birmingham, the following November.

The Hulmes were sentenced to 20 years in prison, while McCormack received a 22 year sentence. Their transfer to Portlaoise occurred in 2006.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0724/632815-rostas/

Rostas trial hears notes of meetings between witness and gardaí destroyed.

The jury in the Mariora Rostas murder trial has heard that key prosecution witness Fergus O'Hanlon was never promised any benefits while in the witness protection programme.

The trial also heard that original notes of meetings between witness protection gardaí and Mr O'Hanlon were destroyed.

A garda sergeant involved in the witness protection programme said Mr O'Hanlon would have been informed that he would be provided with social housing and social welfare once he exited the programme.

He told the court: "It's a like for like situation. He was unemployed before so he would be returned to social welfare and given training.

"He would be returned to social housing. It was never about getting anything from us, it was not about promises," the garda said.

Asked by defence counsel Michael O'Higgins why original notes were shredded, the garda said key words would be written down during the meeting and a full note would be written up later.

The garda said he was not aware of any other department in An Garda Síochána where there was a policy of destroying original notes.

Mr O'Higgins said he would like to see the note of where Mr O'Hanlon had been "seized with altruism" or wanting to do the right thing.

He also asked the witness if Mr O'Hanlon had ever threatened to give his name to other criminals.

The witness said he had not but he was aware Mr O'Hanlon had said this to other witness protection gardaí.

Alan Wilson of New Street Gardens in the city has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Rostas at Brabazon Street, The Coombe between 7-8 January 2008.

Ms Rostas went missing on 6 January 2008 while begging in Dublin city centre. She had been in Ireland for 18 days.

The 18-year-old girl died from gunshot wounds to her head.

Her body was buried in a shallow grave in the Dublin Wicklow Mountains where it was discovered four years later.

A solicitor who previously acted for a key witness in the trial said notes of a meeting with gardaí in which immunity from prosecution was mentioned were accurate.

Bridget Rouse, who previously represented Mr O'Hanlon, confirmed that her notes recorded that Mr O'Hanlon had asked about immunity from prosecution in return for a statement and for showing gardaí where the girl's body was buried.

The notes also record that gardaí said immunity was an issue that could only be decided by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Investigating gardaí have denied that Mr O'Hanlon ever asked for immunity in exchange for information about the disappearance of the teenager or that the issue of immunity was ever discussed before he gave the information.

A garda witness told the trial today that the solicitor's note about immunity was "nonsense".

Ms Rouse also said she advised Mr O'Hanlon that he could be charged after making a statement to gardaí about the girl's disappearance and that, notwithstanding this advice, he still wanted to co-operate.

The evidence has now finished in the case which is in its closing stages.

The case will be in legal argument tomorrow and the jury returns on Monday.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/l...s-30393536.html

Fury after threat to security firm staff G4S by dissident republicans.

BY MAUREEN COLEMAN – 30 JUNE 2014

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister has condemned a threat by dissident republicans against staff from the security firm G4S.

The threat against staff from the world's biggest security firm followed a gun attack on an empty G4S vehicle in Belfast last week.

A group calling itself the IRA issued a threat against G4S staff who carry out the electronic tagging of offenders and suspects across Northern Ireland.

Describing the threat as unacceptable, David Ford called for it to be lifted immediately.

Mr Ford said: "Companies carrying out legitimate contracts for government help our society to function normally and their staff need to be able to carry out their work without the fear of threat.

"Electronic monitoring makes an important contribution to public safety and enables individuals who might otherwise be remanded in custody to remain with their families whilst the justice process takes its course. Threats of this nature help no one."

The threat against G4S staff was reported two days after the gun attack on the firm's vehicle in Oceanic Avenue in north Belfast last week.

A number of shots were fired into the empty car. Two windows were damaged but no one was hurt.

A 24-year-old man was arrested and questioned, but was released the following day pending further inquiries.

G4S said the firm was working closely with the PSNI and the Department of Justice.

"Our top priority is the safety and security of our employees who are carrying out their legitimate work which helps contribute to the justice process and public safety," a spokesman said.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/07/...at_airport.html

Three men from Northern Ireland republican group detained at airport
Men said to have ties to the Real IRA splinter group were detained in prison, Ulster newspaper reports.

By: Samuel Greenfield Staff Reporter, Published on Thu Jul 24 2014
A newspaper in Northern Ireland is reporting that three members of an Irish republican group were detained and denied entry to Canada at Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
The men, said to be on a six-day speaking tour, were members of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32 CSM), a fringe republican organization.
Their names were given as Francis Mackey, Peter Fitzsimons and Martin Rafferty.
According to the Ulster Herald, “32 CSM has been linked to the Real IRA”, a splinter group from the Irish Republican Army responsible for a bombing in 1998 that killed 29 people and two unborn children.
The Real IRA is listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State but is not listed as a terrorist entity on Public Safety Canada’s website.
“The 32 County Sovereignty Movement are not a proscribed organization in Canada so this is clearly politically motivated and an attempt to silence and stop the 32 County Sovereignty Movement from getting its message out,” said 32 CSM on their Facebook page.
The Ulster newspaper said the three men were taken from the airport to be detained in prison before deportation. A spokesperson for 32 CSM said by email that a protest had been held outside the Canadian embassy in Dublin on Thursday and that the three men were en route back to Ireland as of Thursday evening.
According to Anti-Colonialist Working Group spokesperson Julian Ichim, who said he was one of the organizers behind the speaking events, the men were supposed to speak to steelworkers in Hamilton on Thursday as well as at separate events in Toronto and in Kitchener.
“From my conversation with Peter Fitzsimons it was very clear that they were being detained for their membership in the 32 county sovereignty movement,” said Ichim who said he was able to communicate with Fitzsimons via Facebook when he was at the airport.
“They were specifically told that they were denied entry in the country because in the United States they’re a proscribed organization,” said Ichim.
Ichim also said the men were supposed to meet other groups including an organization called the Hugo Chavez Peoples’ Defense Front.
“The reality of the situation is the 32 County Sovereignty Movement is not the new IRA, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement is a open movement for all who choose to embrace sovereignty,” said Ichim. “I want to make that clear that 32 CSM is not the IRA.”
“The 32-County Sovereignty Movement is a group of dissident republicans believed to be closely related to the Real IRA,” said the BBC on a webpage devoted to the unrest in Northern Ireland.

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A man who was involved in the tiger kidnapping of Kilkenny All Ireland hurling champion Adrian Ronan and his family has been sentenced to ten years in prison with the final two suspended.

The court heard Stephen Freeman’s role was to pick up and transport the money after the raid, but he couldn’t drive so a gambling associate taxi driver was hired. The case against Freeman was largely based on him admitting his involvement to this taxi driver.

Freeman (27) of Ballcurris gardens, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a trial date to attempted robbery of cash with others from Bank of Ireland, Parliament Street, Kilkenny on Tuesday November 3, 2009. He also admitted using force on Adrian and Mary Ronan and members of their family in order to frighten them.

He has seven previous convictions at district court level.

Judge Desmond Hogan commented that though he was dealing with an attempted robbery charge, the offence took place as part of a tiger kidnapping.

The judge said: “There are a few categories of offences that in my view nearly are universally regarded with public opprobrium and certainly in my view tiger kidnapping comes within that category”.

The judge said Freeman was acting in common design. He commented Freeman was “enthusiastic” to get involved as he got somebody else to do the driving when he couldn’t fulfil this role.

Judge Hogan described the written statements from the Ronan family as “harrowing reading”.

“I must say that listening to Mr Ronan and the effects it has had on him and his family has left me with nothing but extreme disgust,” the judge said.

He noted the family is still suffering from the effects of the “horrific, abominable crime.”

He said he hoped the outcome of this case would bring the family some closure.

The judge took into account Freeman’s age at the time of the offence and his guilty plea.

He suspended the final two years of the ten year sentence for three years. He also ordered that Freeman undergo any gambling addiction course deemed appropriate by the Probation Services.

One of the busiest garda stations in Dublin has been evacuated after extensive flooding caused by the heavy overnight rain.

Ballymun garda station in north Dublin was evacuated after the ground floor suffered extensive flooding due to the torrential weather conditions.

Prisoners even had to be moved out of holding cells and transferred to other stations over health and safety fears.

With little sign of the heavy rain stopping it is unclear when the station will be back operating as normal and the extent of the damage will be unclear until the water is removed and the stations dries out.

French police arrested an officer on Saturday whom they suspect of stealing some 52 kg of cocaine, worth around €2 million euros, from a locked room inside central police headquarters in Paris.

Police discovered on Friday that the cocaine, which was seized in a raid in July and then kept in a locker inside the headquarters overlooking the Seine river, had disappeared.

Security camera footage helped investigators to identify a man entering the anti-drugs squad's quarters with two bags on the night of July 24 and leaving shortly after, police said in a statement.

Other officers helped to identify the man as a member of the Paris anti-drugs unit and he was tracked down and arrested in southern France, the statement said.

A police source said the officer, 30, had been arrested in the southern city of Perpignan, near the border with Spain, during a raid.

It was the second time this year that the Paris police headquarters at 36 Quai des Orfevres has been involved in scandal.

In April, two officers from an anti-gang squad were placed under investigation after they were accused of having raped a 34-year-old Canadian woman visiting Paris.

The investigation is ongoing.

The teens allegedly followed the man onto two Dublin buses before mugging him


TWO 16-year-old boys followed an unsuspecting victim as he travelled on buses in Dublin before he was violently mugged and left for dead, a court has heard.

Dublin Children's Court has been told that the 52-year-old man, who had survived a stroke two years ago, had been on the number 16 bus, as were the pair of teenagers who are alleged to have followed him when he alighted at O'Connell Street.

He then got the number 46A bus for Booterstown and sat on a disabled passengers seat while it has been alleged the youths, who are from Romania, also took the same bus.

Det Garda Denis Sheahan told Judge John Lindsay that the subsequent incident happened at 11.50pm on April 8 last, after the 52-year-old man got off the 46A and was confronted at Booterstown Avenue, in south Dublin.

His briefcase containing documents and a USB memory stick were robbed and it was also alleged “he was struck to the left side of his head causing severe swelling and bruising”.

He “feared for his life during the course of the robbery” and Det Garda Sheahan said the alleged robbers “showed no regard for the condition of the injured party who was left lying on the ground”.

The man was hospitalised for two days and will have to undergo another operation as a result of his injuries.

The detective also told the court that the victim, was “physically disabled as a result of a stroke two years previously”.

The summary of the prosecution's evidence was given for the juvenile court to decide if it would hear the trial of one of the boys or instead transfer it to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers.

Defence barrister Damian McKeone pleaded with Judge Lindsay to let the city's Children's Court retain jurisdiction. He said that while his client looks mature, he was still a minor who spent a lot of his time begging since came here about two and a half years ago. He lacked paternal guidance, cannot read or write and speaks a little English.

Mr McKeone said it could be said his client was streetwise but that that did not equate with maturity. However, Judge Lindsay held that the case was too serious to be dealt with in the juvenile court.

Last month, Judge John O'Connor, then presiding, had also refused jurisdiction in relation to the co-accused and he had said the victim was “left, could have been dead”.

Today, Judge Lindsay ordered the pair to appear again at the juvenile court on August 19 while prosecutors prepare the book of evidence for the trial.

The boys, who face robbery charges, have been remanded in custody with consent to bail with strict terms. They were accompanied to court by family members, but have not yet indicated how they will plead to the charges.

Bessbrook used to be home to the British army’s main helicopter base in south Armagh during the Troubles. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/PA


An Ulster loyalist anti-IRA campaigner drowned on Monday evening after trying to remove two Irish tricolours from an island on a pond in south Armagh.

Victims' group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (Fair) have confirmed that one of its members Ozzy Bradley died in Bessbrook pond.

He had been trying to remove the two Irish flags from the island in the religiously mixed village near the border with the Republic.

Willie Frazer, Fair's founder, said: "Ozzy, who worked tirelessly for victims in the area, attempted to remove two Irish tricolours from an island in the town's pond. The two Irish tricolours had been reported and indeed they should have been removed but were not.

"Regrettably Ozzy was then forced into taking matters into his own hands and tragically died as a consequence."

The presence of the Irish emblems had caused controversy in the village that used to be home to the British army's main helicopter base in south Armagh during the Troubles. At one time Bessbrook was the largest heliport in Europe due to daily military traffic.

Among others who called for the flags to be removed in the interest of lowering community tension was Sinn Féin.

The two flags were erected last week after someone had replaced the union flag that previously had been flying on top of the small island.

Dominic Bradley, the Bessbrook-born nationalist member for the Northern Ireland Assembly, expressed his condolences to the Bradley family.

Sinn Féin's Mickey Brady also offered his sympathy to the family of the deceased. He said: "The terrible news at the loss of a life at Bessbrook pond is tragic. A family is grieving tonight and a community is in shock."

Gardaí found more than €500,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine. FILE PHOTO

A 44-year-old unemployed man who has been accused of operating a "drugs factory" is due before Cloverhill District Court tomorrow morning.


Darren Raymond was arrested last Friday after gardaí found more than €500,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine at his Ballyfermot house.

Raymond was arrested at the address in Lough Conn Terrace and more drugs were found during a follow-up search at another location in Tallaght.

He was remanded in custody with consent to bail and is due before Cloverhill District Court again tomorrow morning.

The cocaine was thrown out a hotel window
Police in Spain have arrested an Irishman accused of throwing a suitcase full of cocaine out of his eighth-floor hotel window during a suspected attack of paranoia.

A receptionist alerted police after discovering the drugs scattered over an internal patio floor.

Officers arrested the 39-year-old with a second suitcase packed with cocaine outside his room after he allegedly went looking for the drugs and then asked for a duplicate key when he found himself locked out.

Police said they had recovered 55 kilos of cocaine - worth more than three million euros.

The Irishman was expected to be remanded in custody today following a behind-closed-doors hearing before an investigating magistrate.

The bizarre incident happened last Friday night just before 10pm at the four-star Tryp Valencia Oceanic Hotel in the city of Valencia on Spain’s east coast.

Police are said to be working on the theory the suspected drugs trafficker, who had checked into the hotel a few hours earlier, confused noise from other guests entering and leaving their rooms with a rival gang trying to steal his drugs after suffering an attack of paranoia.

He had also removed ceiling tiles in his room - room number 801 - along with an air conditioning vent in an apparent attempt to hide his illegal stash.

A spokeswoman for Valencia’s National Police said: “I can confirm a 39-year-old Irish national was arrested after allegedly throwing a suitcase full of cocaine from his eighth-floor hotel window.

“We were alerted by a receptionist.

“The man in question was arrested outside his room after officers spotted him with a suitcase similar to the one laden with drugs which had been thrown into an internal hotel patio, and discovered it also contained cocaine.

“They found ceiling tiles had been dislodged along with an air conditioning vent and the bath had been filled with water when they entered the room.

“In all they confiscated 55 kilos of cocaine.

“The Irishman, who doesn’t have a criminal record in Spain, has been handed over to an investigating judge for further questioning.

“We are not speculating on why he might have wanted to get rid of any cocaine he had been carrying.”

A hotel receptionist said the hotel would not be making any comment.

But an unnamed hotel employee told a local paper: “He disconnected the toilet flush and caused quite a bit of damage in his room.

“He looked like he’s suddenly gone mad after throwing the drugs out of his room.”

A source close to the case said: “He might have more than the courts on his back after all this.

“If he was working for a drugs gang, they’re not going to be happy about losing such a big supply of cocaine.”

“He’s almost certainly going to be remanded in custody with that amount of drugs.”

Republican Sinn Fein, Continuity IRA, Prince Edward, Dublin Protest
Republican Sinn Fein Protest Dublin



On July 31st, 2014 the following statement was issued by Republican Sinn Féin, Ard Chomhairle member Seán Ó Dubhláin:

“Earlier today the Irish people had to bear witness to yet another shameful act of state collaboration at the highest levels with the imperial elite of England’s establishment.



Republicans gathered outside Glasnevin cemetery at 11:30am to show their anger and disgust towards this collaboration. For those who may not understand our opposition, for those who say have we not all moved on. Here is but one reason, ninety miles from Dublin town young Irishmen are being strip searched and beaten on a daily bases in England’s Maghaberry Prison. In a recent communication from the Jail one POW described how the abuse upon entering and leaving the cells for court visits etc as “close to rape.”

Amid this sadistic practice to try and break the wills of Irishmen who will not accept the British Government in Ireland we have this collaboration with Britain from the 26-County State which claims to represent all Irish people. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent was the most high profile guest with the 26-County President Michael D. Higgins being his sponsor. None of what was said in that collaborative ceremony needs to be repeated.

Republican Sinn Féin has a direct message for those who prop up and collaborate with British imperialism in Ireland. We have not gone away. Today on RTÉ 1 television as this shameful spectacle was aired live, the people of Ireland could hear voices of protest from those who will neither be purchased nor intimidated.

Our message to the people of Ireland is we understand the enormity of the task at hand, there is no undermining the determination of the Free State to destroy the legacy of 1916, after all in the past this state has murdered Irish Republicans on behalf of Britain, indeed under oath to the crown, but we will not be intimidated.

It is the task of Republican Sinn Féin to provide solid political leadership in opposing future events such as those witnessed today. To this end we call on the people of Ireland, who believe in what our martyrs of all generations who suffered for Irish freedom believed in, to work with us. Email, write or even call anonymously Republican Sinn Féin and inform us of any events of collaboration coming up in your area, all must be opposed. Until the day Ireland is a nation free from British interference we will oppose all acts of collaboration and claims of sovereignty in any part of Ireland by all sections of Britain’s apparatus.

Finally as our Republican comrades stood facing off the frontline defence of British Royalty, the Garda Síochána, the Union Jack was duly burnt by members of Republican Sinn Féin in a symbolic act of resistance. One of our members was arrested, taken straight to court and charged for a public order offence. This followed the earlier arrest of a young Dublin Republican who was harassed by members of the Gardaí for walking in Glasnevin Cemetery. During the course of the protest a fifteen year old member of Na Fianna Éireann was among those who were sprayed in the eyes with Mace by the Gardaí.”

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Detectives investigating the murder of Andy Connors have made an appeal to the public for information on two stolen cars they believe may have been used in his murder this week.

Connors was shot dead on Tuesday night at his home in Saggart while his four children and wife were in the house.

A gunman entered the premise and shot the crime boss a number of times in his upper body with a handgun.

Gardai who are investigating the bloody murder are now trying to piece together the movements of two cars found on the night, one of which they believe was used in the killing.

The first car is a black Kia Sportage which was reported stolen in Kilkenny on July 16. This vehicle was discovered in the Mount Argos area of Dublin on the night.

The second car is a white Opel Insignia which was stolen in Carlow on July 14. This car was found just off the Blessington Road on the night of the murder.



Gardai said the original number plate on the Kia was 12-KK but when it was recovered it had 11-KK plates on it. The Opel originally had a 10-C registration plate but when recovered gardai found it had been changed to 10-D.

Detective Inspector John Walsh at Tallaght Garda Station said "These cars were stolen a month before the incident and fitted with false plates.

"Somebody may have noticed them parked in a car park or stored at some facility and if anyone has information about these cars we’d like to hear from them."

The victim is one 'Fat' Andy Connors who was allegedly the mastermind behind a series of high-profile burglaries and robberies by a gang who use high-powered cars to evade police.

Anybody with information on the murder or the stolen cars involved is being asked to contact Tallaght Garda Station on on 01 666 6000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

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'Tempest': Gardai arrested dozens of suspected drug dealers this week
More than 20 suspected drug dealers have appeared in court today after a number of raids by gardai in the capital on Tuesday.

A six-month covert operation code-named 'Tempest' resulted in the raids on Tuesday morning on the north side of Dublin's inner city.

The suspects appeared at Dublin District Criminal Court before Judge Denis McLoughlin charged with various drug offences.

Gardai said the majority of the accused were charged with dealing drugs, mostly heroin, cocaine and cannabis, to undercover gardai in the city.

The operation was organised after concerned residents on Dublin's north inner city raised concerns over the sale of drugs in the area.

Chief Superintendent Pat Leahy said the gardai consulted the community over their concerns and that the steady rise of drugs was the main one.



"Very early on, it became apparent to us that of the top three issues, drug-dealing came out as one of them," he said.

After six months of undercover work the gardai arrested what they believe are committed drug dealers in the community.

All of the suspects, except one female, who appeared today were remanded on bail and are due back in court on October 2.

The female - who is accused of selling drugs on five separate occasions - told the court she was to be on holiday in Lanzarote on October 2 and that she would be back the following week.

She asked for legal aid but was told by the judge that if she could afford a holiday in Spain she could afford a lawyer.

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MURDER LINK: Christopher Zambra
GARDAI now suspect mobster Christopher Zambra was gunned down by dissident republicans in revenge for the brutal slaying of one of their own, it has emerged.

As gardai mount a massive probe into Sunday’s slaying of 39-year-old Zambra, sources have told The Star he had been implicated in the shotgun killing of former Real IRA boss ‘Fat’ Deccy Smith — blasted in the face six weeks ago.

Officers investigating Zambra’s murder, in which he was blasted in the face at point-blank range, believe the fatal ambush was so well planned and executed that it was likely carried out by terrorists.

And the fact that he was linked to the attack on Smith, a close associate of slain Real IRA boss Alan Ryan, has led gardai to suspect republicans targeted Zambra in revenge.

Blood

“This was not your average gangland hit,” a source told The Star last night.

“It was organised with military precision and that tends to the strong suspicion that it was dissidents behind it.

“They hemmed him in and then chased him down and shot him in cold blood. It was brutal, quick and efficient.”

The area of Cooley Road in Drimnagh south Dublin where Zambra — one of Dublin’s most notorious gangsters — was shot dead was still sealed off last night.

As well as looking for physical clues that will help them nail his killers, gardai were also trawling intelligence sources to establish a motive for the killing.

Officers say there are several possible motives — but his connection with the Mr Big of Irish crime last night emerged as the prime theory.

That man, from north Dublin, is a major drugs importer and armed robber.

He has been feuding with dissident republicans since 2010 when they tried to extort hundreds of thousands of euro from him and his ally, a gangster based in Co Cavan.

They were just two of a number of criminals targeted for cash by Real IRA leader Alan Ryan — but unlike everyone else they refused to pay up.

Instead, they had Ryan (32) murdered as he walked in his native Donaghmede, north Dublin on September 3, 2012.

Tensions have been at boiling point between Mr Big and associates of Ryan ever since — with the terror group vowing revenge.

Revenge

Belfast native ‘Fat’ Deccy Smith was a key associate of Ryan — and had spent the last 18 months hunting Mr Big down.

However, Mr Big had Smith shot moments after he dropped his kid off at a creche, also in Donaghmede, on March 21.

Now, gardai suspect, associates of Ryan and Smith finally got their revenge by slaying Zambra.

Zambra had become close to Mr Big and gardai had intelligence he was involved in the Smith killing on behalf of his new boss.

That involvement, officers now believe, meant he was a dead man walking.

Now there are fears that Mr Big will target republicans in revenge for Zambra’s killing — sparking more deaths.

Zambra, a former Irish youth international soccer star, was visiting his sister’s home on Cooley Road, Drimnagh, when the shock attack occurred just before 3pm on Sunday.

He suffered bullet wounds to his jaw, stomach and back.

Although the Real IRA link is the main theory, gardai say it is to early to exclude other possibilities.

One line of enquiry is that Zambra was murdered after he was caught in bed with the girlfriend of a dangerous gangster who is currently serving life in jail.

Drugs

However, officers are also probing if the murder was carried out by associates of slain drugs trafficker John ‘Champagne’ Carroll.

Zambra was last year cleared of ordering the murder of Carroll, who was shot dead in Grumpy Jacks pub in the Coombe on February 18, 2009.

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The gang, who are infamous for how they exhort money money, are rushing to hide cash through fronts


Criminal Asset Bureau
A criminal gang terrorising a community will be crushed by a multi-million CAB bill, it emerged yesterday.

Sources have revealed they are desperately funnelling cash through fronts before it’s too late.

The Co Waterford-based gang have been operating a loan sharking business for the past six years.

But now they are trying to move money around away from the reach of CAB.

Sources have told the Irish Mirror that gardai have found a secret bank account used to channel the stashes of cash.

A well-placed source told the Irish Mirror: “The group has become infamous for how they try and extort money from those who can’t pay.

“It’s all about frightening people to the point that they’re either so scared they’ll pay up or hand over property to settle the bill.

“A lot of times this is not enough.”

Their barbaric methods of intimidation and debt collection include vicious hammer attacks and sexual assaults.

Horror stories involving single mothers forced to pay their social welfare to pay their son’s debts.

The source added: “In one case, one mother had to pay back €32,000. She had only gone to a lender for €9,000. It just snowballed and snowballed and got out of control.

“Because she couldn’t pay up straight away they followed her to the post office to take her child support and unemployment benefit.”

It is also believed another gang working in the area is passing on information to gardai in the hope they will go after the vicious criminals.

Gardai have been gathering information on these criminals for the past four years.

Dozens of people have signed affidavits as gardai try and minimise the chance of potential witnesses being attacked.

Public representatives in the area have since had death threats made against them which gardai said were credible.

One politician had even been told it was unsafe for him to cycle his pushbike as he was an easy target for a would-be assassin.

The group is understood to have links to another gang operating in Wexford and Kilkenny.

Scores of young entrepreneurs are being extorted by that criminal enterprise as they try and get their budding businesses off the ground.

Areas of Kilkenny and Wexford are being targeted by the group who are demanding protection money to operate in the area.

The number of people seeking treatment for an addiction to benzodiazepines has more than doubled since 2009, figures from the Health Service Executive have shown.

The increase in use of the psychoactive drug, which has been implicated in hundreds of deaths in recent years, has been described as a major cause for alarm by an addiction services expert.

The most recent statistics show benzodiazepines were the main problem drug of 547 people who sought treatment for substance abuse in 2012, compared with 261 in 2009.

Benzodiazepines are sedatives that are often prescribed by doctors for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia, but recreational misuse of the drug has become increasingly common.

Dr Garrett McGovern, a GP who specialises in the treatment of alcohol and substance abuse, said the increase in misuse of the potentially lethal drug was a worrying development.

"The statistics are a major cause for alarm. We have not got a handle on this at all due to a lack of expertise in the area and an unwillingness within government to invest in treatment," he said.

Dangerous

"Using benzos in an unstructured manner with alcohol and other CNS (central nervous system) depressants is dangerous, but the risk of overdose is not uniform - many different users can take the same quantity of drugs but not all of them will suffer a fatal overdose."

According to the Health Research Board's (HRB) National Drug-Related Deaths Index, benzodiazepines were implicated in 166 deaths in 2011 and 103 in 2010. They were also involved in more deaths by poisoning than any other substance between 1998 and 2008.

Tony Duffin, director of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, suggested the increase in misuse of benzodiazepines in recent years may be linked to the closure of headshops in 2010.

"Once headshop drugs were restricted via the legislation there was a shift away from the headshop drugs back to the more traditional substances of choice - notably heroin and benzodiazepines," he said.

The statistics relating to the number of people seeking treatment for substance abuse was revealed in response to a parliamentary question by Galway West TD Brian Walsh.

The family of Ireland's latest gangland murder victim said that they do not want any revenge for his savage slaying as it has emerged that they are being threatened by gangsters.


A niece of 'Fat' Andy Connors told the Herald: "We do not want any revenge for what happened - none of our family wants revenge.

"Andy has six brothers and none of them wants anything only peace now, the family will not be avenging Andy's death. The family is in a lot of fear now."

The body of the notorious Traveller criminal was released to his family on Monday night but a date for his funeral has yet to be finalised.

Policing

However, 'Fat' Andy's funeral will take place in Gorey, Co Wexford, and gardai in the town have formulated a special policing plan for the event due to take place in the coming days.

The Herald has learned that Connors is due to be buried in a gold-lined coffin worth €28,000, which is to be imported from England.

He will be buried at St Michael's Cemetery in Gorey and his grave has already been prepared there. But last night senior sources could only confirm that the funeral will not take place today.

In the meantime, the body of father-of-six Connors is lying in an open coffin in the property in Saggart, west Dublin, where he was shot dead in front of some of his children last Tuesday night.

A large number of the burglary gang boss's relations have since travelled to England.

His niece, who asked not to be named, said that she had been authorised to contact the Herald by her family after death threats had been made to other members of the Connors in the Tallaght area over the past week. She said that the threats happened in phone calls and have not been reported to gardai because "the family will not talk to gardai".

"We don't want to co-operate with gardai, we just want to live in peace. Family members have got calls threatening them to leave their homes," the woman said.

She also claimed that threats to the lives of some of 'Fat' Andy's family members are the reason why a date for the 45-year-old murder victim's funeral has not been finalised.

'Fat' Andy's extended Traveller gang who have over 200 members are the chief targets of the garda's Operation Fiacla. His murder is not expected to end their organised nationwide crime spree.

The massive scale of their activities can be seen by the fact that they are the biggest and most prolific gang involved in the massive burglary spree in Ireland which netted over €11m worth of cash and possessions from homes in the last six months of 2013.

stolen

The handgun used to murder the Traveller gang boss was found by gardai in a burnt out white Opel Insignia in a yard off the Blessington Road last week. This car had been stolen in Carlow on July 14.

Gardai believe that a black Kia Sportage stolen in Kilkenny on July 16, which was found in Mount Argus, Dublin, was also used in the murder.

Gardai are probing whether 'Fat' Andy was killed by the INLA after he refused to pay up to their extortion demands.

They are also probing a dispute he was involved in with a high profile south-Dublin businessman. Sources said that other theories are being examined include a violent incident that Connors was involved in less than a fortnight before his murder.