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.
