http://www.thestar.ie/star/gangster-alliance-we-killed-criminal-39865/

Gangster alliance: We killed criminal.

THE murderers of a violent criminal have told The Star that he was executed because of his links to a failed gangland hit last year.

Gardai are investigating claims by the so-called United Criminal Alliance (UCA) gangster group that it killed Michael ‘Mickey’ Devoy (42) in Tallaght, Dublin, over the weekend.

Devoy was arrested three weeks ago on foot of several outstanding warrants for minor offences, and put in jail — where gardai believed he would have been safest, as there had been death threats against him.

Devoy challenged his detention in court last Friday and was freed from Portlaoise Prison, but he was killed around 24 hours later.

A source said: “He effectively signed his own death warrant.”

Thugs from the shadowy UCA group, which boasts of being a coalition of criminals, claim they carried out the gangland slaying.

They claimed they shot the career criminal, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, up to six times in the head and neck with a .38 calibre revolver.

A source told The Star: “Gardai are taking the [UCA] claim seriously and are treating it as credible.”

Body

Gardai found the victim’s body in the Tallaght area, near the Dublin Mountains, at around 10.45pm on Saturday night.

Officers suspect that he may have been attacked by a dog before he was shot dead.

It was the second time that the UCA had targeted Devoy, after he previously survived a pipe bomb attack near his home in Ballymun, north Dublin.

The Star has learned that Devoy may have been lured to his death on Saturday night, meeting up with his killers before being driven to a secluded spot in Tallaght to be shot and his body dumped.

It’s believed Devoy, from Balbutcher Drive, Ballymun, was killed over his links to a failed hit on a serious gangland criminal in Dublin last year.

That gangster, who is head of one of the country’s largest drug importation gangs, survived being shot in the face at close range — and vowed revenge.

The UCA statement said: “The narrowness of their escape first time from our explosive device in Belclare area, Ballymun, Dublin.

“There will always be tomorrow and there was. We executed Mickey Devoy. UCA council.”

The victim’s body was found off the Foxhill Road at Bohernabreena, Tallaght. Detectives came upon the scene while on routine patrol.

The officers had initially stopped to investigate a silver hatchback car parked suspiciously on the road, but as they arrived alongside it, two men jumped into the vehicle and sped away.

Garda spokesman Superintendent Dave Taylor said it was a narrow road and that it wasn’t possible for the detectives to follow.

Scene

“They did carry out an extensive search of the area but the car has not been located to date,” Supt Taylor said.

However, he said when they returned to the original scene, the detectives came upon the victim with “obvious wounds to the upper body”.

The area was sealed off pending forensic tests and the body was (above) removed from the scene.

Gardai have called for any witnesses to contact them at Tallaght Garda Station on 01 666 6000.

History for YOU.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfe_Tone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Emmet

Protestant Irish men.

http://www.thestar.ie/star/murdered-crim...him-dead-40046/

Murdered criminal Mickey Devoy told cops name of gang boss who wanted him dead.

GANGLAND gun victim Michael ‘Mickey’ Devoy told gardai the name of the crime boss who was gunning for him — just days before he was murdered, The Star has learned.

Sources said detectives visited Devoy in his cell at the top-security Portlaoise Prison early last week to warn him of an imminent threat to his life — that they believed to be credible.

But Devoy, shot dead late on Saturday night in Tallaght, south Dublin, told gardai that he not only knew about the threat — but named the man who was behind it.

Sources revealed that he named a key associate of a man whom Devoy (42), from Ballymun, north Dublin, was blamed for almost killing when that man was shot in north central Dublin last year.

That associate, who is in his 50s, is a well-known drug dealer from the city and is regarded as a major criminal by gardai.

Twist

Gardai believe he ordered the murder in revenge for the botched hit — because he blamed Devoy for it.

But, in a shock twist, sources told The Star that gardai now don’t believe Devoy was involved in the original hit.

A source said: “Two detectives went to the prison last week to give Devoy a formal warning that he was under death threat.

“They told him that they had information that the threat was credible and that they judged that an attack on him was imminent.

michael devoy
TARGET: Criminal Michael ‘Mickey’ Devoy (pic from Courtpix)
“But he turned to the gardai and told them he was well aware of the threat. And he told them that he knew [the gangster] who was behind the threat and wanted him dead. It was no surprise to him and he knew all about it.”

Victim Devoy, who had over 60 convictions, was only released from Portlaoise Prison on Friday.

He had been jailed on warrants a few weeks earlier after gardai became concerned for his safety.

Victory

But he took a legal challenge to the detention — and won, being released on Friday night. However, that hollow victory meant he only had around 24 hours to live.

Devoy’s body was discovered off the Foxhill Road in Bohernabreena, Tallaght, at around 10.45pm on Saturday night after detectives from Tallaght Garda Station came upon the scene while on a patrol.

The officers had initially stopped to investigate a car parked suspiciously — but as they arrived alongside it, two men jumped into the vehicle and sped away.

Devoy had been shot several times in the head and neck in a brutal slaying.

He spent most of his adult life in prison for a string of violent offences, including a four-year stretch for threatening to kill a man and gouge his eyes out.

Devoy was also prime suspect for the 2005 murder of criminal Mark Byrne — who was shot moments after he left Mountjoy Prison.

Gardai are focusing their probe on a freelance hitman from the border counties who previously worked for Eamonn ‘The Don’ Dunne — himself gunned down in April 2010.

The criminal, who was formerly associated with dissident republicans, branched off into mainstream crime in the middle of the Noughties.

He was close to Dunne’s then boss, Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland (39), and acted as one of his enforcers.

But when Dunne had Hyland murdered in Finglas, north Dublin, and took over his empire in December 2006, the hitman quickly aligned himself to the new boss.

Bomb

He became one of Dunne’s key henchmen, but when the Don was gunned down by his own gang in Cabra, north Dublin, in April 2010, he branched out on his own.

Sources say gardai arrested the hitman close to Devoy’s home around two weeks ago — and that he was staking out the property for a hit.

Officers also believe he was the man who placed a sophisticated pipe bomb under a car near Devoy’s home last week in another murder attempt.

Devoy, who had more than 60 criminal convictions, only survived that attack because gardai had jailed him days earlier.

The Star revealed on Monday that a gang calling itself the United Criminal Alliance claimed responsibility for the murder of Devoy on Sunday.

http://www.thesun.ie/irishsol/homepage/news/article5390577.ece

Gangland deal to whack Mickey Devoy sealed over a pint.

THE plot to whack thug Michael ‘Mickey’ Devoy was finalised during a drugs summit last week.
The Irish Sun can reveal heroin dealer Greg Lynch’s mob met in a pub in the Crumlin area of Dublin to discuss the hit.

And gardai believe the gang paid a former republican hitman, with links to the IRA and INLA, €20,000 to take out Devoy.

Devoy, 41, was targeted on the orders of crime godfather Christy ‘Dapper Don’ Kinahan after being blamed for shooting Lynch, 28, last October. We can also reveal Lynch was warned by detectives from Kevin Street Garda Station at Christmas that his life was in danger from a north Dublin mob.

A senior source said: “Lynch’s cronies held a meeting last week in a bar because they were worried about the threat against him.

“The decision was taken to pay someone from outside the capital to take out Devoy because they all knew how mad he was.

Scene sealed off after body find
Road closed ... scene sealed off after body find
“Lynch was convinced Devoy ordered the hit against him but there are other gangs from west Dublin in the frame.”

Detectives confirmed yesterday the main line of inquiry was that Devoy was blasted because of the botched hit on Lynch outside a pub on Hanlon’s Corner in Cabra in October.

But they’re also following a number of other lines of inquiry.

Devoy, from Ballymun in north Dublin, was found in the Foxhill Road area of Tallaght around 10.45pm after detectives stopped to examine a silver-coloured car.

Two men suddenly appeared from the rear of the vehicle before getting into the front and speeding off.

Detectives were involved in a high-speed chase through Dublin before the hoods managed to escape.

But when the officers returned to the scene they were left stunned to discover Devoy’s remains. The serious criminal, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, had gunshot wounds to his neck and head.

A post mortem on his remains was conducted yesterday morning.

Devoy had just been released from prison after he was locked up for failing to appear in court on various charges.

His previous convictions include assault, possessing drugs and making threats to kill.

Gardai were still searching for the getaway car last night and also trying to establish where he was shot.

Greg Lynch
Survived hit bid ... Greg Lynch
Since the attempt on Lynch’s life, the kingpin has rarely left his heavily-fortified home in Dublin’s south inner city.

He also installed CCTV cameras at his house over fears he would be targeted for a second time.

The source said: “The only time he answers the door is when he has a takeaway delivered.

“He’s terrified of getting shot but he’s determined to keep his patch at all costs.”

Devoy was the second gangland victim this month after the murder of Christy Daly, 47, in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

So far this year, eight people have suffered violent deaths.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/crime-desk/devoy-had-sourced-assassin-before-he-was-murdered

Gardai on high-alert over fears hitman paid to avenge Michael Devoy murder.

Gardai are on high-alert over fears that a hitman is preparing to avenge the murder of Michael Devoy who was shot dead last weekend on the orders of Christy Kinahan’s mob.

The Sunday World exclusively revealed that a former Provo assassin from Dundalk had agreed to whack 42-year-old Devoy, who was blamed for a failed murder bid on drug dealer Greg Lynch last October.

The 40 year-old was paid €20,000 by associates of Lynch and told not to rest until Devoy was dead.

Mickey Devoy survived two murder bids on January 7 and 10 but his luck finally ran out late last Saturday night when he was lured to a meeting before being tortured and shot in the head three times. His body was then dumped on a country road near Tallaght.

Devoy had been warned that his life was in danger and had secured the services of his own hitman before he was murdered.

Gardai do not know whether he had actually paid the shooter before he was shot dead but are taking no chances because he was well connected and had the contacts to lash back against Lynch.

The ERU has been ordered to continue patrolling around the streets of both Ballymun and the south-inner city where Lynch and his drug dealing cronies are based.

Detectives do know that a close friend of Devoy, who was also recently warned his life was under threat because of the failed Lynch murder bid, is telling friends that Devoy’s murder will not go unpunished.

However sources say they are not convinced that the Ballymun man has the capability of going up against the biggest gang in the country.

Nevertheless they are taking no chances and have intelligence that the Kinahan gang is planning more murders following an AGM of the mob last week after the death of one of their members.

Several senior gang members met at a pub in Crumlin last Thursday following the death of Eddie McLoughlin.

Among those collated by gardai at the Kinahan gang sit-down included Gerard ‘Hatchet. Kavanagh, Paul Rice, Gerard ‘Bra’ Brady, Greg Lynch, brothers Liam and David Byrne, and their father James ‘Jaws’ Byrne.

All the men are regarded as serious criminals and all have links to Christy Kinahan’s gang. They spent the afternoon and evening drinking at the pub are believed to have discussed gang business.

Top of the agenda is understood to have been all outstanding debts owed to the Kinahan mob.

The collapse of the economy five years ago really affected the cocaine market which led to scores of small and medium sized dealers being unable to pay what they owed.

The gang has ruthlessly been extracting money from drug dealers and the Sunday World has previously revealed how failed car dealer and money launderer Lee Cullen and drug dealer Christopher ‘Git’ Russell fell foul of the mob.

Kinahan is understood to have issued an order that his gang should use any and every means necessary to get what they are owed.

It is also feared that discussions took place about “sorting out” witnesses in several high-profile trials that are due to begin soon.

The identity of the witness and the trials that gardai believe the Kinahan mob is attempting to scupper cannot be revealed but it is understood several individuals have been informed about threats to their lives and given personal protection advice.

Michael Devoy was a veteran criminal who wass extremely well-known to gardai and had the reputation as a very violent individual.

He was the chief suspect in the murder of 30 year-old Mark Byrne in May 2005. Byrne had just been released from Mountjoy prison and walked out of a shop after buying phone credit when a gunman shot him dead. The murder was later re-created on RTE drama Love/Hate.

The Ballymun man was arrested over the murder and gardai were hopeful there was enough evidence to charge him but the DPP disagreed.

He had well over 70 criminal convictions and had served prison sentences over the last 25 years for making threats to kill, possession of firearms as well as burglary, driving offences and other public order matters.

He associated with several serious criminals from Finglas and Ballymun and a close relation is serving a lengthy jail sentence for a feud related shooting.

28 year-old Greg Lynch was left permanently disfigured after being blasted outside a pub at Hanlon’s Corner last October. He was in a coma for two weeks but discharged himself and his pals have been plotting revenge ever since.

He is the leader of a 60-strong drugs gang that is responsible for armed robberies and tiger kidnappings.

He is one of the main targets of the new anti-gang unit based at Kevin Street Garda Station. Gardai class him as one of the city's biggest drug distributors, despite his relatively young age.

Two years ago an undercover Sunday World team captured Lynch meeting his associates out in the open to avoid being bugged by gardai.

In scenes reminiscent of American TV series ‘The Wire’, he insists on conducting all his business face-to-face - and the paranoid mobster even frisks people for bugs before talking to them. He never talks on the phone or carries a wallet or any form of identification.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gun-found-in-bushes-just-metres-from-dead-body-29938349.html

Gun found in bushes just metres from dead body.

Michael Devoy: shot up to four times at close range with a handgun
TOM BRADY SECURITY EDITOR – 22 JANUARY 2014

GARDAI have recovered a revolver they believe was used in the weekend murder of Dublin criminal Michael Devoy.

The weapon was found in undergrowth about 50 metres from where Devoy's body was discovered by a routine detective patrol.

Ballistic tests are being carried out on the gun at the garda technical bureau in the Phoenix Park.

The revolver had been dumped in recent days at the spot in Bohernabreena, Tallaght, where it was found shortly after first light yesterday by a garda search team.

Devoy (41) was shot up to four times at close range in the left side of the head.

A post-mortem examination, carried out by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, was unable to definitively determine the exact number of shots because of exit wounds but it is thought he could have been hit with four bullets from a handgun.

Searches of shrubbery and undergrowth along Foxhill Road continued yesterday while gardai extended their hunt for a silver-coloured hatchback car, used in the getaway by at least two killers shortly before 11pm.

Gardai think Devoy, from Balbutcher Drive, Poppintree, Ballymun, was shot dead after a €30,000 contract was placed on his head on the orders of a major Irish crime figure who is currently living overseas.

Devoy was targeted after he was blamed for pulling the trigger in the attempted murder of convicted heroin dealer Greg Lynch outside a pub in Dublin's north inner city last October.

HUNT

Meanwhile, Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey, who is in charge of policing in the Dublin region, has pledged that all available resources are being deployed in the hunt for the killers.

He said yesterday that officers were taking overt and covert action with high visibility uniformed patrols backed up by plainclothes units.

Mr Twomey called on members on the public who had information that could prove useful to the garda investigations into the recent spate of violent deaths to come forward and promised that they would be treated with the strictest confidence.

"We need the support of the community to bring the perpetrators of these absolutely horrific crimes to justice and the public can play a vital role in helping us," he added.

Irish Independent

http://www.herald.ie/news/devoy-murder-gun-found-close-to-crime-scene-29940902.html

Ken Foy is a joke reporter full of it.

The Ballymun man had been shot numerous times in the attack and there were a lot of spent rounds at the scene ?

What is this Ken Foy ?

GARDAI have recovered a revolver they believe was used in the weekend murder of Dublin criminal Michael Devoy.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gun-found-in-bushes-just-metres-from-dead-body-29938349.html

United Criminal Alliance statement says ?

They claimed they shot the career criminal, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, up to six times in the head and neck with a .38 calibre revolver.

http://www.thestar.ie/star/gangster-alliance-we-killed-criminal-39865/

Devoy murder gun found close to crime scene.

Ken Foy is a joke reporter full of it.

KEN FOY, CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 22 JANUARY 2014 02:30 PM

GARDAI investigating the murder of Michael 'Mad Mickey' Devoy have confirmed that the gun used to kill the north Dublin criminal has been found.

Sources have said that the handgun was located in a ditch close to where Devoy's body was discovered, at Bohernabreena, Tallaght.

The Ballymun man had been shot numerous times in the attackand there were a lot of spent rounds at the scene.

The Herald understands that the weapon was recovered on Monday, with gardai describing the find as "a major breakthrough" in the case.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that officers investigating the killing initially wrongly believed that the victim was a man who had survived a previous meat cleaver attack.

MISTAKEN

They realised they were mistaken when they visited the home of that man, Alan Hewitt, from Tallaght – who has no links to organised crime – in the early hours of Sunday and found him asleep in his bed.

"In fairness, you can't blame the officers at the scene for this," a source said.

"It was dark and these fellas look alike, but there is a major height difference.

"But for a number of hours on Sunday, gardai believed that they were dealing with the murder of Alan Hewitt, but obviously that is not the case."

Hewitt denied that gardai had called to his house when approached by the Herald, but he did speak about being the victim of the meat cleaver attack eight days earlier, which was reported in this newspaper at the weekend.

He said: "I basically got chopped up with a machete, but I'm doing a lot better now. I was totally shocked when it happened.

"There's no permanent damage done, but I got seven stitches in my head because the meat cleaver went right down to the skull. I also got four stitches in my finger.

"I was so lucky it didn't go right into my brain, but it did cut right through the bone. My friend now has to get an operation on his hand.

"I was in hospital for a few hours, but I discharged myself that day. My girlfriend was slashed in the chest and she got seven stitches in one area, and 16 in another," he explained.

"It happened after we walked home with my girlfriend. Before I knew it, this guy started swinging a knife at us. I had never seen the guy before."

Separately, the investigation into Devoy's murder continues, with officers convinced he was shot dead because he tried to murder heroin trafficker Greg Lynch last year.

Detectives have also rubbished reports that the Criminal Action Force (CAF) were behind the murder.

"CAF, they don't exist," a source said. "This is squarely linked to Greg Lynch's gang, and gardai believe a Dundalk hitman did this murder."



REVENGE

Gardai are on red alert as they believe that dangerous criminal associates of Devoy will attempt to get revenge.

The chief suspect in the killing is a 40-year-old former IRA man from Dundalk, who officers believe was paid €20,000 to take out Devoy.

He is also suspected of placing a pipe bomb under Devoy's car at his Ballymun home less than a fortnight ago.

The suspected assassin is well known to gardai and is said to be an extremely violent criminal who recently was before the courts for a serious assault.

He also has convictions for public order offences and drink-driving and is allegedly dangerous with alcohol in him.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cri...g-29933702.html

Crime lord paid 'guns for hire' €30k to carry out revenge killing.

TOM BRADY SECURITY EDITOR – 21 JANUARY 2014

A "guns for hire" gang is being blamed for the weekend murder of Dublin criminal Michael Devoy.

Gardai believe Devoy was shot dead after a €30,000 contract was placed on his head on the orders of a major Irish crime figure, who is currently living overseas.

Devoy was targeted after the crime lord decided he had been the "trigger man" in an attempt to murder convicted heroin dealer Greg Lynch outside a pub in Dublin's north inner city last October.

Lynch was shot in the head, after a gunman opened fire on a crowd attending a 21st birthday party, but survived the attack.

He is linked to associates of the crime lord, who is believed to have ordered the hit on Devoy in retaliation.

Senior garda officers said last night they were sceptical of underworld intelligence indicating he had placed a €100,000 contract on the deaths of three men, including Devoy.

CONSORTIUM

The contract is believed by gardai to have been taken on by a group who have been involved in a series of criminal activities in counties Louth and Meath, as well as on the north side of Dublin, in the past few years.

The gang involves a 40-year-old Dundalk man, who is well known to gardai and is suspected of being responsible for issuing threats to other criminals who refused to hand over a slice of their profits to the group.

The gang uses cover names such as the "criminal action force" or the "united criminal alliance" to claim they carried out attacks.

The "criminal action force" claimed responsibility for the murder of Real IRA Dublin boss Alan Ryan, who was shot dead in September 2012.

Gardai say the shooting of Ryan was organised by a consortium of gang bosses, who had clashed with the dissident republican over his demands for cash from their drug trafficking and armed robberies.

Devoy was aware, along with two others, that his life was at risk and wore a bullet-proof vest.

He had been arrested by gardai last Tuesday with another man as a result of the execution of outstanding warrants against them.

Devoy (41), from Balbutcher Drive, Poppintree, Ballymun, north Dublin, was taken to Portlaoise jail. But his lawyers took an action against the State for alleged delays in serving the warrants and a court ordered his release from jail on Friday.

He was shot in the left side of the head with a handgun on Saturday night and his body was about to be dumped over a wall, leading to a 30ft drop, at Foxhill Road, Bohernabreena, Tallaght, in south county Dublin.

But local detectives, on a routine patrol, disturbed the killers who jumped into a car and fled. Garda gave pursuit but failed to locate the car, described as a silver-coloured hatchback.

When the officers returned to the scene they found Devoy's body. A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis, who confirmed that he died from gunshot wounds to the head.

Detailed searches of shrubbery and undergrowth around the Foxhill Road continued yesterday as gardai searched for vital forensic clues to the identity of the killers.

Gardai said at least two men were in the silver hatchback car when it sped away from the scene, shortly before 11pm on Saturday.

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/armed-gardai-in-show-of-force-at-devoys-funeral-29961059.html

Armed gardai in show of force at Devoy’s funeral.

KEN FOY, CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 29 JANUARY 2014

A SIGNIFICANT armed garda presence is expected in north Dublin today for the funeral of gangland thug Michael ‘Mad Mickey' Devoy who was shot dead 10 days ago.

The funeral takes place at St Canice's Church in Finglas, and it is understood that Devoy (41) will later be cremated at Glasnevin.

He was waked last night at his family home in Balbutcher Drive in Ballymun. One of his closest friends acted as bouncer on the door.

The Herald has learned that the bulky, 23-year-old doorman – who was the victim of a serious assault in 2008 – was close to Devoy and his family.

The garda investigation into the murder is continuing, with a senior source revealing that detectives have raided and searched three houses. No arrests have yet been made.

Gardai have been working on the theory that a Co Louth hitman carried out the murder on behalf of the Greg Lynch drugs gang after Devoy was identified by them as being involved in a botched hit on Lynch last October.

A special policing plan has been put in place for today’s funeral, with armed and public order units in attendance and members of the Emergency Response unit located nearby.

One person who will not be there is Devoy’s younger brother Derek, known as Bottler, who failed to secure temporary release from Mountjoy Prison.

“It would be way too much of a security risk – we think that even he knows that,” a senior source said.

Volatile hood Bottler (31) is not due to be released from jail until February of next year. He is serving sentences for firearms and other offences.

In 2007 he was jailed for seven years for the attempted armed robbery of a post office in Balbriggan, north Dublin, the year before.

He was given extra jail time in November 2007 for the non-fatal drive-by shooting of two of his neighbours in Ballymun in September, 2005.

Devoy has had multiple serious disciplinary issues since being locked up, but sources said he has not been in trouble since last October.

At one stage in 2009 he was even transferred to a segregation area of Portlaoise Prison.

Bottler has more than two dozen convictions and is an associate of the two main suspects in the murders of Martin ‘Marlo' Hyland and innocent young plumber Anthony Campbell.

He also has close links with other Ballymun criminals and the Finglas gang who are suspected of the gun murder last summer of Tallaght criminal Carl Wynne.

“He is a dangerous and volatile criminal and despite being locked up he has continued to influence things on the outside,” a source said.

“He was absolutely distraught that his older brother was killed and he went mad when he was told the news in prison.”

http://www.herald.ie/news/chief-suspect-in-devoy-murder-has-left-the-country-29970426.html

Chief suspect in Devoy murder has 'left the country.

KEN FOY CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 01 FEBRUARY 2014 07:00 AM

The chief suspect for the murder of gangland criminal Michael 'Mad Mickey' Devoy has fled the country, detectives believe.

The development comes as it emerged gardai searched more houses in the hunt for the Louth gangster, who is known to be a cricket enthusiast.

The suspected assassin is known to gardai as an extremely violent criminal who recently was before the courts for a serious assault.

VIOLENT

He has a number of previous convictions for public order, traffic and drink driving offenses and is said to be "extremely violent with drink on him".

A source told the Herald last night: "He is gone – make no mistake about that."

Intelligence received by detectives several weeks ago indicated Devoy was the hitman who shot Greg Lynch in the face outside Hanlon's pub in the early hours of last October 13.

Lynch is a key member of a dangerous drugs gang that also includes Paul Rice and Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh – a mob with close links to the international crime syndicate controlled by godfather Christy Kinahan who is based on the Costa del Sol.

In the aftermath of the attempted hit on Lynch, the gunman, who wore a balaclava, ran towards a waiting BMW and continued firing back towards the pub, hitting the three women.

The car was found burnt out in Walkinstown.

Devoy was shot numerous times 11 days ago and his body dumped on the side of the road in Tallaght.

Gardai have recovered the handgun but no arrests have happened so far.

HITMAN

The Herald previously revealed that the same hitman was enlisted to murder two brothers who were friendly with Devoy and who are being blamed for helping him with the botched hit on Lynch.

Both brothers who are from Ballymun and considered 'nobodies' in terms of organised crime have been officially warned by gardai that there is an imminent threat against their lives.

Neither man showed up for Devoy's funeral Mass in Finglas this week and are understood to be in hiding after being warned about the threats against them.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cou...d-29974762.html

Dissident Republicans arrested in counterfeit cash raid.

KEN FOY – 03 FEBRUARY 2014

THREE men have been arrested after a raid on a counterfeit cash gang.

Two dissident Republicans and a major criminal are in custody after gardai busted a printing press and seized €20k in counterfeit money.

Heavily armed detectives raided a premises in Summerhill, Co Meath at 1.30pm yesterday and discovered a printing press, €20,000 in fake cash and a number of computers.

The three suspects, all in their 40s, were being questioned at Mountjoy and the Bridewell garda stations.

A number of follow-up searches took place in Dublin this morning.

A senior source described the SDU's operation as a “major coup” against dissident republicanism.

“This was a highly sophisticated counterfeiting operation and these men had been under surveillance for many weeks,” a source said.

The Herald can reveal that one of the suspects is on bail after being charged with membership of the IRA last year at the Special Criminal Court.

He is a 46-year-old man from Dublin's north inner city who was arrested on Good Friday last year after a search of a commercial premises in Clondalkin as part of a garda investigation into the activities of dissident republicans.

The other arrested dissident republican is considered one of the main leaders of the IRA in Dublin.

He has risen up the ranks of republicanism since the murder of Real IRA chief Alan Ryan in September 2012 and is considered one of three men who control dissident activity in the capital.

elaborate

Sources say the third man is a well-known criminal who works with gangs in both Co Meath and Dublin.

The counterfeit cash scam was described today as being “extremely elaborate”.

A source said: “The garda operation has made sure that the country has not been flooded with dodgy bank bills.”

Yesterday’s operation is the biggest counterfeit cash seizure by gardai since detectives raided an underground bunker in Co Laois in June 2010.

On that occasion, enough ink and specialist paper was found to produce €200m worth of €50 and €100 notes.

The operation leading to the discovery of the underground bunker near Borris-in-Ossory in 2010 started when police across Europe began detecting the near-perfect notes.

An international operation was put into place stretching as far as Japan, where it is believed materials were sourced.

http://www.herald.ie/news/fathead-and-the-mobsters-millions-from-drugs-and-cigs-29965147.html

Fathead' and the mobsters' Millions from drugs and cigs.

30 JANUARY 2014 02:30 PM

CHRISTY Kinahan's crime gang are not the only Irish operators making millions on the Costa-Del-Crime and beyond.

Yesterday we highlighted the dangerous power and evil capability of Kinahan's cartel.

But one of the most prominent Irish gangsters in Spain is a veteran Ballyfermot criminal who controls the illegal smuggling of cigarettes into Ireland.

This is an operation that is believed to be worth well over €10m.

The gangster, a long-term target of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), has made millions from smuggling illegal cigarettes over the past two decades.

He was arrested in relation to a gangland murder in Ballyfermot in the 1990s, but was released without charge. He cannot be named here for legal reasons.

A senior source explained: "He is one of the most feared and respected men involved in organised crime in Ireland.

"The likes of Eric 'Lucky' Wilson, who is linked to loads of murders, would ask how high, if this man told him to jump.

"Apart from his criminal business, he runs a number of profitable legitimate businesses and has a large property portfolio in Dublin and Spain."

With a criminal pedigree going back years, the gangster built up a reputation as a money launderer for the Provisional IRA in the 1980s and 1990s.

He came to prominence in 2010, when he became involved in a feud with the Real IRA faction then led by slain terror boss Alan Ryan.



SHIPMENTS

And members of a north Dublin gang whose leader was murdered by the Ryan mob in September 2011 have also relocated to Spain.

They are suspected of organising vast shipments of drugs into Ireland from Spain.

When Michael 'Micka' Kelly was shot dead by a Real IRA assassination team at the Marrsfield apartment complex at Clongriffin, north Dublin in September, 2011, it was witnessed by his right hand man.

The criminal nicknamed 'The Jew' has spent most of his time in Benalmadena in Spain's Costa-Del-Crime where he linked up with major Irish crime player Paul 'Burger' Walsh from Baldoyle, north Dublin. 'Burger' and 'The Jew' have worked with the Kinahan mob but also worked independently of them, sources say.

'The Jew' has barely any criminal convictions, but on one occasion he had almost €70,000 cash forfeited to the State after a court heard that gardai were satisfied he was friends with drug dealers and the funds were the proceeds of crime. 'Burger' has over 26 criminal convictions here and was targeted by the Criminal Assets Bureau in 2007, when the agency confiscated property and cash valued at almost €600,000 from him.

Walsh had begun to build a property portfolio in Dublin, Laois and Wexford, when his drug-dealing activities came to the attention of CAB.

The bureau's investigation found that Walsh was a member of an organised crime gang in Dublin.

A source explained: "These lads have gone mega scale, they are easily importing over 100 kilos of high grade cannabis into Ireland each week but also bringing in cocaine and heroin.



DRUGS

"They are supplying a vast patch which not only includes Dublin but was also the midlands and the west of Ireland."

The Herald has learned that one of the big-scale dealers who is buying drugs from him is a hood known as 'Fathead' who now lives in north Co Dublin.

Despite being on the garda radar for years, he has barely any previous convictions and is said to be an "extremely smart criminal".

Sources say that the Spanish-based mobsters have been supplying a number of other senior criminals based here who use lesser criminals with drug debts to collect and courier drugs for them.

But Spain is not the only major base for serious organised Irish criminals in continental Europe – The Netherlands, and its capital Amsterdam, has been another major hub for our dangerous expat criminal fraternity. And there is no one bigger than George 'the Penguin' Mitchell (64) born in Ballyfermot, west Dublin.

The arch-criminal, who fled Ireland after Veronica Guerin's murder, is a cousin of Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell and is suspected of sending millions of euro of drugs into Ireland every year from his Dutch base.

He has remained an active drugs trafficker for two decades and gardai linked 'The Penguin' to the seizure of over €3m worth of cannabis from an Irish-registered yacht off the Spanish coast in August, 2012.

Mitchell was linked to a spate of gangland hits in the 1990s before he fled to continental Europe. More recently, gardai looked at the possibility that 'The Penguin' was behind the botched assassination attempt on his old drugs trafficking rival John Gilligan in a Castleknock pub, last December.

Another major player who is based in Holland, is Peter 'Fatso' Mitchell, not actually related to 'The Penguin'.

But like George Mitchell, he fled Ireland in the aftermath of the Guerin murder in 1996 because he was feeling the heat from the gardai. He set up base in Spain's Costa Del Sol and was often spotted in the company of 'Fat' Freddie Thompson and other members of the Christy Kinahan gang. However, he had a major disagreement with the Kinahan network which led to him narrowly escaping death, when he was shot a number of times in the summer of 2008.

After that, he fled to Holland and also spends a lot of time in the UK. Gardai believe 'Fatso' is still involved in drugs trafficking from his Dutch base and has connections with Dutch gangs. Peter Mitchell was arrested in Amsterdam in November 2004, with 10kg of cocaine, 3kg of heroin and ammunition but managed to beat the charges.



COCAINE

Another Irish criminal who was arrested in Holland last year, was notorious drug dealer Thomas 'The Boxer' Mullen from Dublin's north inner city as part of an investigation into a huge cocaine trafficking ring.

He is credited with flooding the streets of inner city Dublin with heroin in the 1990s and was handed a 15-year sentence in England for masterminding a £750,000 (€909,000) heroin smuggling operation in Britain in 1997.

But it is not just veteran Irish criminals who have made Amsterdam their home.

Keith Ennis (29) from Walkinstown, south Dublin, was stabbed to death before his dismembered body parts were found in a suitcase in an Amsterdam canal in February, 2009.

A suspect in that case Philip County (30) from Lucan was extradited from Ireland to face charges in 2011, but later got bail from the Dutch authorities and has been spotted with members of Christy Kinahan's mob in the Costa-Del-Crime in recent times.

kfoy@herald.ie

i really like this thread,keep it up!

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hit...k-29964339.html

Hitman planning murder of brothers in revenge attack.

30 JANUARY 2014

GARDAI have discovered that the gang who murdered Mad Mickey Devoy also plan to murder two north Dublin brothers in a twisted campaign of revenge for a botched hit on a drug dealer.

Devoy (41) whose funeral happened yesterday – under close watch by gardai – was shot dead by a Louth hitman on the orders of the Greg Lynch drugs gang after a failed attempt on the heroin trafficker's life last October, detectives believe.

It has now emerged that the same hitman was enlisted to murder two brothers who were friendly with Devoy and are being blamed for helping him with the botched hit on Lynch.

Both brothers, who are from Ballymun and considered “nobodies” in terms of organised crime, have been officially warned by gardai that there is an imminent threat against their lives.

Neither man showed up for Devoy's funeral Mass in Finglas yesterday and are understood to be in hiding after being officially warned about the threats against them.

A source explained: “They have been served with the papers by gardai – they are in serious bother. They have been identified as being at the scene when Lynch was shot in the face.

“One of them is suspected of being the getaway driver while the other fella is thought to have acted as a scout and a look-out on the night.

“This gang revenge will not stop with the murder of Mickey Devoy.”

The Herald understands that the twisted hitman who gardai are desperately hunting for took up a six figure contract for the murder of three men – Devoy and the Ballymun brothers who are aged in their 20s.

Already three houses have been raided and searched but there has been no sign of the hitman who was previously strongly involved with dissident Republicanism.

The suspected assassin is well known to gardai and is known as an extremely violent criminal who recently was before the courts for a serious assault.

He has previous convictions, including public order, traffic and drink driving and is said to be “extremely violent with drink on him”.

Intelligence received by detectives several weeks ago indicated Devoy was the bungling hitman who shot Greg Lynch in the face outside Hanlon's pub in the early hours of last October 13.

Devoy was shot numerous times in the murder 11 days ago and his body dumped on the side of the road in Tallaght.

Gardai have recovered the handgun but no arrests have happened so far.

Armed detectives and uniformed officers patrolled the streets surrounding St Canice’s Church yesterday for the funeral.

There was also a large visible garda presence at Glasnevin Cemetery where a large group of mourners had gathered after the funeral for Devoy’s cremation.

Devoy is the eighth person to die violently this year when he was shot and his body dumped in the Bohernabreena area between Tallaght and the Dublin mountains on January 18.

A carriage drawn by four black-plummed horses carried his remains to the church for the small funeral.

Fr Eamon Sheridan from Balcurris told the mourners that Michael’s brother Johnny had been buried from the same church last May.

“There is too much grief and too much suffering,” he said.

“Today, this group of people, this community, is gathering around you, Nancy, and your family to say that we are here and we care,” he told Devoy’s mother.

“By being here today all of you share in that love and mercy as you embrace each other in grief and say goodbye to Michael,” he added.

A letter that Devoy had written to his mother was read out at the end of the Mass, in which he had told her how he had loved her, and would always love her, even though he had caused her worry.

Devoy's younger brother Derek, known as Bottler,

was not at the funeral because

he could not secure temporary release from Mountjoy

Prison.

He is not due to be released from jail until February of next year, and is serving sentences for firearms and other offences.

Ken Foy and Conor Feehan

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/its-party-crime-for-lynch-mob

Gang boss celebrates with pals after rival is whacked.

GANGSTER Number One Greg Lynch threw a party to celebrate his mob murdering Michael Devoy, the man who tried to kill him, the Sunday World can reveal.

While the 28-year-old was celebrating the demise of his sworn enemy, the brother of Michael Devoy smashed up his prison cell after learning one of his closest friends was behind the hit.

Devoy (42), was shot dead in Tallaght, south Dublin, last Saturday night and the chief suspect is a former Provo from Dundalk, Co. Louth, who is thought to have accepted a €20,000 contract.

The money was put up by Christy Kinahan’s gang in revenge for the attempted murder of Lynch last October outside a pub on Hanlon’s Corner in Dublin.

However it has emerged that the 40-year-old suspected triggerman was a close pal of Devoy’s brother Derek ‘Bottler’ Devoy.

The pair were involved with a Finglas-based mob led by Martin ‘Marlo’ Hyland and later Eamon ‘the Don’ Dunne. Both worked as enforcers for the gang. They were “inseparable” for years, according to sources.
However, the suspected hitman, a former Provo, has now distanced himself from gangs and is operating as a “freelance” hitman.

When Bottler Devoy heard the news on Monday that his former friend had been responsible for killing his beloved brother, he smashed up his cell in Mountjoy Prison, where the 30-year-old is serving a seven-year sentence for armed robbery.

Gardai fear that associates of the Devoys will not take the murder lying down and will attempt to hit back against the Lynch mob.

If Lynch is concerned, then he didn’t show it this week. After months of lying low, the drug dealer finally emerged on Monday night when he was seen by gardai hosting a party in the Fountain Bar on Meath Street in Dublin’s inner city.

Lynch and his criminal father Gerard ‘Bra’ Brady, as well as a host of his lieutenants, spent the night drinking and celebrating the death of his would-be killer.

Sources say that they toasted Devoy’s death and the fact that the threat against Lynch has finally been lifted, although gardai have serious doubts that the feud is over.
The Emergency Response Unit is still patrolling the streets of Ballymun on the northside of the capital and the south inner-city this weekend and gardai are paying passing attention to Lynch’s house in Maryland, Dublin 8.

Devoy tried to murder Greg Lynch because the drug dealer, who operates on behalf of Kinahan from the Coombe in the south-inner city, tried to expand his territory into Devoy’s Ballymun patch.

Lynch was shot outside Hanlon’s pub from close range and although he lost half his jaw in the attack, he survived against all the odds.

Ever since that hit bid failed, Devoy was in serious trouble because Lynch is part of the country’s biggest and most feared gang.

The 40-year-old hitman from Dundalk was contacted by a close associate of Greg Lynch following last year’s murder bid and offered cash to murder Michael ‘Mickey’ Devoy.He was stopped by gardai close to Devoy’s home in Ballymun on January 7 and taken to the local station for a search because gardai knew of his reputation as a hired gun.

He was released without charge, but three days later a “highly sophisticated” device was placed under Devoy’s car outside his home but it was spotted before it detonated.

Devoy and a pal were warned that their lives were in danger because the Lynch mob had blamed Devoy for the failed shooting, but the criminal hired his own hitman to lash back. It is unclear whether or not he was paid before Devoy was shot dead.

Greg Lynch and his father were then warned by detectives that they were under threat and sources say they laughed when they were given the news.

Last week, the Sunday World exclusively revealed how Devoy’s life was in serious danger as a result of the €20,000 hit taken out on him by the Lynch gang.

The former Provo hitman caught up with Devoy last Saturday night after he had been freed from prison, having spent three days behind bars for outstanding
warrants.

He was shot three times in the head and was in the process of being dumped in a remote field at Bohernabreena in Tallaght when a passing patrol car arrived.

The three-man gang managed to escape following a high-speed chase and gardai found Devoy and the gun used to murder him when they went back to the scene.

Gardai believe they know the identity of the shooters and are hoping to make early arrests in the case.

Devoy was a veteran criminal with more than 70 convictions to his name.

He is the chief suspect in the murder of 30-year-old Mark Byrne in May 2005.

Byrne had just been released from Mountjoy Prison and walked out of a shop after buying phone credit when a gunman shot him dead. The murder was later re-created on RTE drama Love/Hate.

The Ballymun man was arrested over the murder and gardai were hopeful there was enough evidence to charge him, but the DPP disagreed. He associated with major criminals from Finglas and Ballymun who are very unhappy with his murder.

Garda intelligence places Greg Lynch at the head of a 60-strong drugs gang that is responsible for armed robberies and tiger kidnappings.

He is one of the main targets of the new anti-gang unit based at Kevin Street Garda Station in the capital. Gardai class him as one of the city’s biggest drug distributors, despite his relatively young age.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/c...ow-up-for-trial

IRA-accused arrested after Alan Ryan Funeral fails to show up for trial.

The IRA membership trial of a Dublin man arrested after a garda investigation in to paramilitary activity at the funeral of Alan Ryan could not go ahead on Tuesday after the accused failed to show up in court.

Nathan Kinsella (33) was due to stand trial for membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on September 13, 2012.

Last week the non-jury court issued a bench warrant for Kinsella’s arrest after hearing that Kinsella's bailsperson had not seen him since before Christmas and the Circuit Criminal Court had also issued a bench warrant for his arrest last November after he failed to appear there.

Counsel for Kinsella, Mr Diarmaid McGuinness SC, told the court that he had not heard from Mr Kinsella and his solicitor had not heard from the accused in several months.

He said that he was not in receipt of any instructions as to where the accused man is and why he was not in court.

Mr Tom O’Connell SC, for the prosecution, said that he had received instructions that Mr Kinsella had not come to any harm and that gardai had made efforts to locate him to no avail.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Butler said the court noted there was a warrant from both the Special Criminal Court and the Circuit Court.

An earlier court hearing was told that Kinsella had suffered a “very traumatic injury” and his mobility was “quite debilitated”. He was released on bail in October 2012.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/ira-thugs-conman-nabbed-after-3109801

IRA thugs and conman’ nabbed after gardai smash major counterfeiting operation

4 Feb 2014 07:00
The IRA thugs were nabbed allegedly attempting to buy dodgy notes from the criminal at a Dublin bar on Sunday.

Two senior dissidents and a suspected fraudster have been arrested after gardai smashed a major counterfeiting operation.

The IRA thugs were nabbed allegedly attempting to buy dodgy notes from the criminal at a Dublin bar on Sunday.

And in a follow-up search later that day officers seized €20,000 in counterfeit cash after uncovering a major printing operation at a complex in Co Meath.

The discovery is considered a significant blow against both the New IRA in the capital, previously led by slain Real IRA chief Alan Ryan, and the suspected fraudster who is well-known to gardai.

Detectives are also hopeful that the arrests may lead to a breakthrough in a nine-year-old murder investigation.

Joe Rafferty, 29, was shot dead by a lone gunman in 2005 outside his home in the Hayward apartment complex in Ongar Park, West Dublin. The two dissidents are believed to hold crucial information that could help gardai crack the cold case killing.

A senior source said: “The senior dissidents were buying the counterfeit cash in a bar on the North Circular Road.

“They were paying €2,000 in regular cash for €10,000 of the counterfeit stuff.

“They were very convincing fakes and while they might not have worked on a bank clerk they certainly would have passed in pubs, clubs and shops.”

The Garda operation, led by the Special Detective Unit in conjunction with other national units attached to the Crime and Security Branch, swooped on the three men, aged 47, 44, and 42, on Sunday afternoon.

They were all detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. As part of the operation four homes were searched in the North Dublin area as well as a commercial premises in Co Meath.

A range of printing equipment and computers was recovered along with the €20,000 in fake cash.

A source said: “The equipment was quite sophisticated and had the capacity to print thousands of notes.

“Computers and printing equipment have all been seized.”

The 47-year-old IRA man is currently before the courts on serious charges after he was arrested last year by gardai at a commercial premises in West Dublin.

The other dissident has risen up the ranks of the so-called New IRA in Dublin since Ryan’s murder in September 2012.

He is now considered one of the group’s major players in the capital.

The man selling the notes is believed to have a history of counterfeiting and gardai have been keeping a close eye on his activities.

It is the largest such operation to be uncovered by gardai since officers raided a bunker in Borris-in-Ossory, Co Laois, in 2010. During that raid they found enough ink and paper to produce €200million worth of €50 and €20 notes.

cathal.mcmahon@irishmirror.ie

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/...striker-hodgins

Irish dissident groups 'thwarted by surveillance technology'
Former IRA hunger striker Gerard Hodgins says British have 'permanent eyes and ears' inside terror organisations.

A former IRA hunger striker who has been a vocal critic of the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has warned armed republican dissident groups that advances in surveillance have given the British state "permanent eyes and ears" inside their organisations.

Gerard Hodgins, who has called on the New IRA, Continuity IRA and Óghlaigh na hÉireann (ONH) to declare ceasefires, said dissident bomb attacks did the opposite to what hardline republicans intended – and delivered more votes for Sinn Féin.

In an interview with the Guardian,Hodgins, who is a former prison comrade of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, said the use of surveillance technology made conventional guerrilla warfare "exceedingly difficult". He said: "The widespread use of this technology gives the British almost permanent eyes and ears in places the dissidents would frequent."

Directly addressing the anti-Good Friday agreement armed republican groups, Hodgins pointed out that the level of British infiltration of the Provisional IRA, long before the peace process, had been "colossal and fatal" for the "armed struggle".

Hodgins said the spate of New IRA and ONH bombings across Northern Ireland over the plast 18 months "played into Sinn Féin's agenda". He said: "Sinn Féin will use the fear factor to appeal to voters. So the occasional dissident bomb in Belfast city centre makes sure everybody votes according to tribal camp."

His call for a dissident republican ceasefire is echoed by the website Pensive Quill, a site of republicans who are critical of Sinn Féin but opposed to any return to violence.

Hodgins, from west Belfast, last year publicly called on Adams to resign from the Bobby Sands Trust and accused him of lying about his relationship with his brother, the convicted paedophile Liam Adams.

The trust controls all of Bobby Sands's written material. The late hunger striker's family has been involved in a legal battle to wrest control of it from leading Sinn Féin figures.

Hodgins, like the dissidents, believes Sinn Féin's peace strategy has solidified the unionist veto over constitutional change in Northern Ireland but, unlike them, he opposes a return to violence.

Urging the dissidents to call off their violent campaign, Hodgins said: "The tactics and strategy they are trying to develop are tactics and strategy that we tried, but which failed: the British can deal with these frames of reference. There is also no popular support for armed insurrection and, without a support base, armed insurrection is irresponsible."

Hodgins is a former Sinn Féin press officer who spent 20 days on hunger strike with other Irish republican prisoners in 1981.

While deeply critical of Adams, Martin McGuinness and other Sinn Féin leaders, Hodgins said continuing the "armed struggle" today was a futile exercise. He said the republican dissidents should learn from the failure of the Provisional IRA to force Britain to issue a declaration of withdrawal from Northern Ireland.

"The infiltration was undoubtedly colossal and fatal. The British were regularly one step ahead of us on the ground, making life difficult," he said. "Squads were being captured, dumps compromised, [IRA] volunteers executed; even the Eksund [an IRA smuggling ship intercepted in the 1980s] was never intended to make it to Ireland.

"The British penetrated the Provos at every level and put their agents and spies in place to ruin us from within and deliver us to precisely where the British state wanted us.

"Add to this the success of the British in pioneering agent recruitment and handling, where they delivered one of the most resilient guerrilla armies, the IRA, to just where they wanted us and I don't for one moment doubt the security agencies have agents in place amongst the dissidents today."

He added that he was friendly with many, but not all, of the dissidents and vehemently denied any role in directing the hardline republican campaigns.

Following Hodgins's outspoken attack on Adams, he has faced stories in the media alleging links to leaders of the New IRA and ONH. However, reliable republican sources, as well as sources in the security forces, accept that Hodgins, while a political opponent of Sinn Féin, is a trenchant critic of the ongoing "armed struggle" and not involved in their armed campaigns.

Hodgins, who was first imprisoned when he was 17 years old, sounded cautious about any of the disparate dissident republican groups heeding his call for a ceasefire.

"The dissident world is fractured over many groups, ranging from some misguided patriots to agents of the state to outright rogues who are abusing my community rather than protecting it. But it is important to highlight the futility of pursuing a failed strategy," he said.

Republican groups still at "war"

The New IRA: The largest of the anti-ceasefire republican forces, which formed into an alliance between the Real IRA, Republican Action Against Drugs in Derry and independent armed republican units in east Tyrone in late summer 2012. It has been responsible for a series of bomb attacks from its main base in Derry, but the Guardian has learned that there has at least been some debate within the movement about the ongoing efficacy of its "armed struggle".

Óglaigh na hÉireann: A small hardline faction with a base in north Belfast, which has been behind recent bomb attempts in the city centre, including, it is thought, a firebomb incident that resulted in the activist setting himself on fire just before Christmas. ONH does speak to critics of continual "armed struggle" based around The Pensive Quill, but as yet shows no signs of moving towards a cessation of violence.

The Continuity IRA: The oldest and most ideologically rigid of the three main republican factions. CIRA is politically aligned to Republican Sinn Féin, which broke away from the mainstream Sinn Féin movement as far back as 1986 over Gerry Adams and his allies' plans to recognise the legitimacy of the Irish Republic parliament. While its political allies are mainly based in the Republic, CIRA maintains a small but troublesome presence in the Craigavon/Lurgan area of north Armagh. Responsible for the 2009 murder of the first PSNI officer, Constable Stephen Carroll, CIRA are the least likely of any of the anti-ceasefire groups to listen to any calls for an end to their armed campaign.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/crime/ronan-kerr-murder-detectives-believe-3028962

Ronan Kerr murder detectives 'know the bomber'

16 Jan 2014 15:23
Dissident explosives manufacturer believed to be based in Republic.

By David Young

Detectives investigating the murder of police officer Ronan Kerr believe they have identified the man who made the bomb that killed him.

A senior detective said the dissident republican explosives manufacturer is based in the Republic and is “experienced and competent” in constructing the deadly devices.

The police team hunting the gang behind the April 2011 attack in Omagh, Co Tyrone, also believe they know who directed the bomb team.

Officers have linked the murder of the 25-year-old freshly qualified constable to 16 other crimes committed by a number of inter-linked groups belonging to a dissident outfit styling itself “the new IRA.

Among the 17 offences covered by the investigation are the attempted murders of Const Ryan Crozier near Castlederg, Co Tyrone in May 2008 and Const Peadar Heffron in Randalstown, Co Antrim in January 2010. Both officers suffered serious injuries, with Mr Heffron losing a leg.Detectives claimed they have gathered significant evidence linking three men to some of the most serious offences.

But no charges have yet been brought against them as more time is needed to build the cases against them.

The remains of Ronan Kerr's car at the blast scene
Fourteen arrests have been made in the investigation so far. The PSNI team outlined progress as the first man convicted as part of the probe was sentenced to 10 years for offences linked to a dissident arms dump found in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, days after Mr Kerr’s death in April 2011.

Police claim discovery of the arsenal, described as the biggest weapons find in a decade, saved lives. A senior detective said the hardware in the lock-up garage, including taped-together loaded ammunition magazines, was ready for use.

Four stolen vehicles were also found in the lock-up. In two of them police found water bottles filled with petrol – indicative of preparation to set them on fire after a crime. Two arms hauls have also been seized in Co Monaghan.

The PSNI also released new information about the high explosive bomb that killed Const Kerr. A spokesman said magnets used in the device were taken from a taxi sign stolen in the Arvalee area of Omagh two-and-a-half weeks before the attack.

Officers have carried out 11,750 tasks or actions so far – already more than the 10,500 undertaken during the investigation into the Real IRA’s 1998 Omagh bomb.

Almost 8,000 items have been seized for forensic tests, while reams of CCTV footage from Omagh to Coalisland around the time of the bomb have been reviewed.

The police are investigating small dissident gangs, comprising around 20 to 25 individuals in total, based in Omagh, Coalisland,Toomebridge and Ballyronan as well as Monaghan in the Republic.

Officers believe they take direction from leaders in Belfast.

http://www.herald.ie/news/cab-seizes-mobsters-home-29978955.html

CAB seizes mobster's home.

CAB now plan to sell the property previously owned by on-the-run mobster Paschal Kelly (48).


KEN FOY AND TIM HEALY – 04 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 PM

THE Criminal Assets Bureau has seized a home, high powered car and €14,000 from a leading Dublin gangster.

Kelly, who gardai believe is a leading member of the gang that murdered Real IRA terror chief Alan Ryan, was not in court as he is rumoured to be hiding out in Spain.

CAB received the order from the High Court yesterday to seize the home in Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan – worth around €250k – along with a 4x4 vehicle, €11,000 from the sale of a Ford Focus, and around €3,000 in cash.

Known as an extremely volatile criminal, it was alleged at a court hearing in April, 2011, that he rang CAB and threatened to kill a garda officer.

Evidence was given that Kelly became annoyed when the CAB officer called to Kelly's partner's Balbriggan home, on April 7, 2011 and Kelly subsequently phoned the officer.

"He stated that if I continued to seek him at that address, or watch that house... he stated 'I will kill you, I will f***ing kill you', before hanging up," the detective told the court hearing.

This led the officer to re-evaluate his own personal security.

Last April Kelly's associates were linked to the seizure of nearly €2 million worth of heroin and a machine gun, discovered at a vacant house at Garryross in Virginia, Co Cavan.



The Ballyjamesduff bungalow, on three-quarters of an acre, was bought in 2004 by Kelly for €190,000 and is now estimated to be worth between €250,000 and €275,000.

Kelly, who is involved in a number of brutal gangland and personal feuds, was described in court as having links to a tiger kidnapping gang.

The Herald has learned that he has been hiding out in rural Spain after getting bail in Northern Ireland last October where he was facing serious money laundering charges.

Sources say he ripped up electronic tags that had been placed on him and used a disguise to get out of the country after that.

His girlfriend has not been seen at her north Dublin home for months since he fled Ireland.

http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/crime-desk/dissidents-target-gangsters-wife

Dissident's target gangster Paschal Kelly's wife.

Dissident republicans have been attempting to intimidate relatives of a major gangland criminal who has gone on the run.

Paschal Kelly (46), originally from Coolock in Dublin, went into hiding after he was released on bail in Northern Ireland last year on gangland offences.

He was arrested by the PSNI with a close associate who we can only identify as Mr Big, as he is currently before the courts on a separate matter.

Dissidents targeted the pair following the murder of terror boss Alan Ryan, who was shot dead in Clongriffin, north Dublin, in September last year.

Dissidents blame Mr Big for the hit on Ryan.

Gardai carried out searches in Balbriggan, north Dublin, for Kelly after he went on the run, but have yet to locate him.

As well as the charges in the North, there are also bench warrants out for his arrest in the Republic for other matters.

Dissidents are trying to lure him out of hiding by targeting his relatives in intimidation attempts.

Republicans visited the home of a close relative of Kelly in Balbriggan last week and covered her car in republican stickers.

A source said: “They were letting her know that they knew where she lived. It was an obvious attempt to intimidate her and get Kelly out of hiding.”
He was arrested with Mr Big in Tyrone in February 2013. PSNI officers recovered over €70,000 in follow-up searches of a flat in Enniskillen along with a number of cars, false passports and 24 mobile phones.

Kelly was granted bail and electronically tagged late last year. It is believed he travelled to mainland Europe after he went on the run.

http://www.herald.ie/news/rows-tear-republican-group-apart-29986358.html

Rows tear Republican group apart.

KEN FOY CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 06 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 PM

A DISSIDENT Republican group which was set up less than eight months ago has disbanded amid controversy over criminality and extortion.

The Irish Republican Voice (IRV) has been torn apart by infighting in the last couple of months and officially ceased to be an organisation at midnight yesterday.

In a statement released to the Herald, it said: "This decision was not taken lightly and we would also like to clear up that Irish Republican Voice was not involved in any criminal activities or extortion in anyway shape or form whatsoever during our existence.

"We believe a handful of people who are not members are going around using the name of Irish Republican Voice to engage in criminal behaviour and extortion in a direct effort to undermine Irish Republican Voice."

The IRV had been closely monitored by the Garda's Special Detective Unit since it was set up last summer and some members have been arrested.

GROUPING

Some of those involved with the group have shown loyalty to the faction which surrounded slain Real IRA terror chief Alan Ryan, even though many have been kicked out of a separate bigger IRA grouping. One of the group's main organisers was Dublin man James McDonagh – a close pal of Alan Ryan.

The Herald previously revealed that a prominent member of the IRV was a young Co Westmeath man involved in robberies and a campaign of intimidation and extortion in the Midlands since he walked free from jail.

However, most of the group's small membership was based in Dublin and a recruitment drive last year failed to get hoped for numbers.

Some IRV members were prominent protesters at the Dail at events in October and September, while others attempted to form an alliance with the Continuity IRA in Limerick.

In January, members of the IRV attended a commemorative march honouring Sean South, who lost his life during a raid on an RUC barracks in Fermanagh in 1957.

kfoy@herald.ie

Dear Mr Sean South,

Irish Republican Voice.

Was just a gang who will not be around long ? recall YOU said that on Criminal Action Force Thread on CAF, WRONG AGAIAN.

The Republicans was the gang not around long.

http://www.thestar.ie/star/gangster-alliance-we-killed-criminal-39865/

The UCA statement said: “The narrowness of their escape first time from our explosive device in Belclare area, Ballymun, Dublin.

Since this statement above, irish daily star has reported United Criminal Alliance used a semtex explosive mercury tilt switch device.

Maybe like one in this link.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/n...-lunch-box.html

http://www.herald.ie/news/two-held-for-second-time-over-gun-death-29989329.html

Two held for second time over gun death.

KEN FOY, CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 07 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 PM

FORMER associates of murdered Real IRA boss Alan Ryan are being quizzed by gardai investigating the fatal shooting of gangland godfather, Eamon Kelly.

The two men who have strong links to dissident Republicanism have been re-arrested by detectives investigating the fatal shooting.

The duo were picked up in Dublin yesterday and last night were being questioned at Clontarf and Raheny Garda Stations.

Both are suspected of peripheral involvement in Kelly's death. They were previously arrested less than a week after Kelly was killed after the chief suspect was charged in the case.

SURVEILLANCE

The Dubliners were released without charge after being questioned for a number of days at a north Dublin garda station 14 months ago. Since their release, the suspects have continued to be under surveillance by gardai and sources say they have continued to be involved in criminal activity.

One of the suspects, aged 43, who is from the north inner city, is on bail in relation to IRA charges. The second suspect is a 35-year-old IRA man from Tallaght who previously served a four-year jail sentence for IRA membership.

A total of eight people have been arrested as part of the detailed investigation into the fatal shooting including the two re-arrested men but just one person has been charged in connection with it.

The arrests happened after it emerged at an inquest on Tuesday that Kelly's son Eamon Jnr died from drug-related injuries three weeks after his father was killed. He had taken a cocktail of drugs at a friend's house in north inner city Dublin.

Sean Connolly (35), of Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin 12, has been charged at the Special Criminal Court with murdering Eamon Kelly on December 4, 2012.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/two-held-over-killing-of-gang-boss-29987725.html

Two held over killing of gang boss.

TOM BRADY, SECURITY EDITOR – 07 FEBRUARY 2014

TWO former associates of murdered Real IRA boss Alan Ryan are being questioned by gardai investigating the killing of gangland godfather Eamon Kelly. The two suspects, aged 35 and 43, were arrested by armed officers yesterday.

They are said to have links to the dissident republican gang but are not regarded as main players. They are suspected of being peripherally involved in the fatal shooting of Kelly on December 4, 2012.

One of the two, a former member of the Provisional IRA, was arrested at his home in Tallaght, Dublin; the other was detained in the north inner city.

Both have been questioned by gardai in the past about serious crime.

Kelly was shot in the chest with a handgun as he walked towards his home at Furry Park Road in Killester, on the northside of Dublin.

Irish Independent

http://www.herald.ie/news/drugs-gang-prime-suspects-in-murder-29986403.html

Criminal Action Force killed this person.

http://imgur.com/RD30siY

Drugs gang prime suspects in murder.

KEN FOY AND GARETH NAUGHTON – 06 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 PM

ONE of the capital's most dangerous drugs gangs is suspected of being responsible for the gun murder of a 28-year-old man whose inquest heard yesterday that he had been shot in the head.

The remains of James Kenny McDonagh were found in the Dublin Mountains, 14 months after he went missing from his home in Islandbridge.

Senior sources say associates of heroin dealer Greg Lynch and armed robber Paul Rice are believed to have been responsible for the murder.

The same people are suspected of ordering the murder of Ballymun criminal 'Mad Mickey' Devoy in Tallaght last month.

RUTHLESS

A source said: "It is believed that Kenny McDonagh was shot dead after agreeing to meet two members of this gang – they had not planned to murder him, but a dangerous criminal pulled out a handgun and coldly shot him in the head."

A major mobster from Tallaght and his ruthless sidekick are in the frame for the murder. The veteran Tallaght criminal was arrested and questioned about it last July.

McDonagh's remains were found at a clearing in the Dublin Mountains on January 7, 2012.

His mother, Jackie Kenny, told Dublin Coroner's Court that he had never expressed any concerns for his safety.

"He was really jolly. He would hide more. You wouldn't know from him that he was in trouble," she said.

She last saw him on the night of October 25, 2010, and became concerned for his safety when friends and family had not heard from him.

She reported him missing on October 30.

The last known sighting of Mr McDonagh, who was 28 when he went missing, was on the afternoon of October 27 when his neighbour, Emma Griffin, saw him driving on to the Naas Road at Bluebell.

She said they spoke briefly, and he told her that he was going to look at a jeep.

His remains were found by John Browne when he came across a human skull while hill-walking at Seahan Forest, off the Stone Cross Road at Ballinascorney.

He reported the discovery to gardai the next morning.

Det Sgt Mary Fitzpatrick said further remains were found over the following days.

Mr McDonagh's body was identified using dental records and DNA sampling.

The post mortem was carried out by former deputy state pathologist Dr Khalid Jaber, who gave the cause of death as a perforating gunshot wound to the head.

THREATS

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said that his impression was that death would have been instantaneous.

Det Insp Sean Campbell said that gardai believe Mr McDonagh died on October 27 because the car he was driving was found on fire at Peamount on the same night.

Gardai were unaware of any threats against Mr McDonagh's life, said Mr Campbell, but the dead man had not been staying at home in the days before his , so there may have been one.

kfoy@herald.ie

http://www.herald.ie/news/brother-of-mur...d-29982912.html

Brother of murdered terror boss Ryan flees to hide out in Scotland.

KEN FOY CRIME CORRESPONDENT – 05 FEBRUARY 2014 02:30 PM

THE brother of slain Real IRA kingpin Alan Ryan has fled the country and is believed to be hiding out in Scotland, the Herald can reveal.

The development comes as the gang who murdered Ryan has been gripped by "major internal paranoia" over fears that at least one member is talking to gardai.

Alan's brother Vinny Ryan (23) is understood to have been based in Glasgow for the last six weeks where he has been joined by his older brother, Dermot.

However, unlike Vinny, Dermot has been spotted back at the family's home in Donaghmede in recent weeks.

He has also been doing "security" work at a Co Kildare pub.

Recently it emerged that dissident Republican gangs were working with local organised crime gangs in Scotland to generate funds, according to research.

And a small splinter dissident Republican faction loyal to the Ryan brothers has stepped up a campaign of extortion in recent weeks, the Herald has learned.

Alan Ryan was shot dead by the drugs gang led by so-called "Mr Big" in September, 2012, after a massive cash row between the two mobs.

RIFLE

In October, Vinny and close pal Darragh Evans (23) were cleared by the Special Criminal Court of charges of possession of an assault rifle and a handgun at Clonshaugh Walk, Coolock, on September 15, 2011 – the same day drugs trafficker Michael 'Micka' Kelly was shot dead.

Kelly, nicknamed 'The Panda', had been in a deadly feud with Alan Ryan after he refused to cough up a five-figure cash sum to Ryan's Real IRA extortionist gang.

The non-jury court ruled there was an insufficient evidence from which a jury could find Vinny Ryan and Evans were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court heard a garda probe began after the execution of Kelly on Marsfield Avenue in Clongriffin.

Gardai who searched a Saab 95 car recovered near Marsfield Avenue found an AKM assault rifle, an AK-47 style ammunition magazine, a Webley revolver and a Nike bag containing a lid from a Pringles crisp container.

Forensic scientist Dr Fiona Thornton told the court that a DNA profile matching that of Evans was found on the assault rifle and on the Pringles foil lid, while a DNA profile matching that of Vinny Ryan was found on the AK-47 style magazine.

However, under cross-examination she also agreed the incomplete, low-level DNA profiles could have been deposited by secondary or tertiary transfer.

kfoy@herald.ie

Newsflash buddy, the Brit propaganda press have been putting out this crap since the 1700's.

I think you're a West brit abe, why don't you go and polish your Royal memorabilia instead of calling me out every time the Brit press prints another bullshit story about the death of Irish Republicanism.

Michael Campbell had his conviction overturned or didn't you read the news. You just print selected slurs to support your weird love affair with Irish dope pushers who are a dime a dozen.

Either that or some Brit propaganda about how the IRA are over and the Brits will conquer all and Irish Republicanism is dead...

But hey, according to British intelligence they remain a major threat and how comes they never managed to snag slab Murphy of the british intelligence is so fucking great?

You're a West brit abe, admit it.