Criminal coalition takes war on R.I.R.A. to west Michael O'Toole March 25, 2013
A shadowy group claiming to be a coalition of criminals has said it is ready to take its war against the Real IRA to the west of Ireland.
In a statement to The Star, the Criminal Action Force warns Real IRA members in Sligo that it will not tolerate extortion attempts against criminals in the town.
CAF, formed in 2010 to protect criminals from Real IRA extortion in Dublin, has largely operated in and around the capital.
This is the first time the group has referred to members in the west of Ireland.
Gardai believe the CAF — which has more than 200 members — is led by a notorious criminal from the west of Dublin.
The group says it has killed at least four people in Dublin with RIRA connections, when it was led by now-murdered boss Alan Ryan (32).
He was behind a huge extortion campaign against criminals and was gunned down last September in Dublin by gang members who refused to give him cash.
Now, in a statement to The Star, CAF says it has members in Sligo.
The statement said: “We would like to avail of this opportunity to serve notice on Real IRA members in Sligo that we have taken notice of your extortion campaign.
“CAF members in Sligo will not be intimidated by you.”
Significantly, CAF appears to rule out helping members of the biggest gang in Sligo, led by notorious criminal Patrick Irwin (33), who is currently locked up for drugs offences.
In 2011, his pal Deirdre Moran (26) was jailed for five years for transporting a pistol from Dublin to Sligo for the gang.
The statement continued: “We have contacted prominent members of the Sligo-based Irwin gang by phone — they know what we said.
“We wish to further say we will take military action on any Dublin gang who involve themselves with these Sligo lowlifes who let women go to jail.”
The RIRA has been reorganised since Ryan’s murder, with several members expelled and even shot for being ‘too involved’ in other criminal activities.
CAF said: “We have once again started targeting Dublin Real IRA members with links to Alan Ryan’s gang.
“We are not targeting the new IRA group members… [but] if CAF members come under attack by the new IRA we will target the leadership of the new IRA effectively.”
