A COALITION of gangsters last night hit back at CIRA bosses who threatened to execute criminals in Dublin.
And the so-called Criminal Action Force ramped up the pressure on the CIRA in Limerick — by warning them they would be murdered if they touched any of their members.
“All CAF members are now instructed to use all necessary and appropriate force,” a spokesman told The Star.
The threats from CAF, in a statement given exclusively to The Star, come after CIRA bosses publicly vowed to take on criminals.
The CIRA had themselves been responding to threats by criminals that they would not put up with extortion by republicans.
Cash
The criminals claimed CIRA in Limerick were targeting gangsters for cash — and they would not accept it.
That drew an angry response from CIRA, who vowed: “Threats made against members of the Republican Movement are viewed very seriously and we now restate that the CIRA are committed to protecting our Volunteers and will take any measures necessary to [do so].”
They warned the gangsters: “If any attempts are made by you to harm in any manner, members of the CIRA, their homes or their families, the perpetrators…will face execution.”
But CAF claimed that the statement was actually from a gang masquerading as CIRA — and vowed to take them on.
They said the people behind the threats were former associates of slain Real IRA boss Alan Ryan (32), gunned down in September 2012.
CAF was set up in late 2010 to counter extortion of crims by Ryan and his pals.
They said they attempted to murder five members of the now defunct Irish Republican Voice group, linked to Ryan, in north Dublin last year.
Force
That short-lived organisation was not a terror group, but was close to RIRA members.
The CAF statement said: “A so-called gang masquerading as the…CIRA have stated they will kill all Ireland’s top criminals.
“These claims are viewed very seriously by CAF membership…We gave some treatment to prominent extortionists in the past and will do so again.
“All CAF members are now instructed to use all necessary and appropriate force against those persons.
“We attacked five men last November. You know who you are. We were unlucky last time, but will not be next time.
“Our actions are legitimate in response to threats from fake CIRA to use force and aggression against Irish criminals.”
