Seven men arrested in bouncer murder probe

GARDAÍ swooped on seven suspects yesterday in connection with the murder of a bouncer earlier this month.

David McGuinness, 35, was gunned down when he answered the door to his house in Balrothery estate, Tallaght, west Dublin, on July 8.

The gunman and his accomplices were not masked at the time of the shooting.

Investigating officers picked up six men at their homes in Co Louth and Dublin yesterday morning.

A garda spokesman said: “The six were arrested in the Dundalk, Drogheda and Dublin areas, following planned searches at a number of addresses.”

The suspects, aged from 30 to early 60s, were detained at various stations under the Offences Against the State Act.

A seventh man, aged 35, was arrested later at his home in Co Louth.

Some were being questioned in relation to possession of weapons.

Gardaí are investigating whether the murder of McGuinness, the father of a teenage daughter, was connected with the fatal shooting of another bouncer in Dublin last month.

Ronnie Draper, 25, also from Tallaght, was gunned down at a city centre pub, possibly as result of a violent feud between the terrorist group the INLA and a south Dublin criminal gang.

It is suspected the killings may have been part of efforts by the INLA and other dissident republican bodies to increase their hold on the security business at pubs, nightclubs and lap dance clubs.

McGuinness, a construction worker by trade, was not thought to be a significant criminal player.

However, it is thought he had strong paramilitary links with the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA.