Real IRA boss Alan Ryan to be buried tomorrow as man held for questioning
A man is being questioned in connection with the murder of Real IRA boss Alan Ryan who will be buried tomorrow.
The dissident republican was gunned down close his home in north Dublin on Monday afternoon.
Armed gardaí have been on patrol since the killing and have stepped up security ahead of his funeral at The Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede in the morning.
Chief mourners include his mother Marion, partner Stacey, daughter Alannah and siblings Anthony, Niamh, Dermot, Eoin and Vincent.
Gardaí in Coolock arrested a man in his 40s last night, but would not say where he is being questioned.
A spokesman said he is being detained at a north city garda station under Section 30 Offences Against the State 1939. He can be held for up to three days.
Ryan, 32, was one of the leaders of the RIRA Dublin branch and, with other members, had been trying to extort money from drugs gangs.
Detectives are trying to establish if a number of gangs organised and paid for his murder in the Grange Lodge estate in Clongriffin and fear there will be a bloody feud in revenge for his killing.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement – seen as the political wing of the RIRA - condemned the “cowardly murder” of their "friend, comrade and activist" who they claimed had worked tirelessly to tackle the scourge of drugs.
It is believed he was also major for the terror group and had links with other key members north and south.
A convicted criminal, Ryan was notorious for racketeering – extorting cash from drug dealers and businessmen across the city and demanding protection money from firms.
He was jailed for taking part in a RIRA weapons training camp in Meath in 2001 and served time for possession of a firearm in a separate incident.
Ryan was previously questioned about the murder of Sean Winters, who was shot dead near Portmarnock DART station in September 2010.
His gang was also involved in a feud with the major drug and armed robbery gang in Finglas, once led by Martin “Marlo” Hyland, who was shot dead in bed in 2006, and then by Eamon Dunne, who was gunned down in a pub in Cabra in April 2010.
At the time of his murder Ryan was also due to go on trial for an alleged extortion racket and threatening a city-centre publican and making him cease trading within 24 hours.
Click to stay connected with
more stories like this:
more stories like this:
