Two gang suspects had Provo connections

WITHIN hours of a third man being arrested for the botched kidnapping in Cork, a new — and potentially sensational — dimension began to filter through to the media.

Two of the three men arrested had Provisional IRA connections, it emerged. But the prospect that this might be another Northern Bank situation quickly dissipated when the identities of the suspects emerged.

There were indeed Provisional connections, but the indications were that they were in the past the most reliable information from security sources last night suggested that the Provos had severed connections with the main suspects several years ago.