CCTV footage checked in crime boss killers’ hunt
Meanwhile, a neighbouring underworld figure of Zambra, Freddie Thompson, was arrested by elite police in Amsterdam on foot of an international arrest warrant regarding a violent disorder charge here.
Senior officers are on high alert over possible retaliation for Zambra’s murder, which occurred on Cooley Rd, Drimnagh, south Dublin, on Sunday afternoon.
Garda teams have been collecting CCTV footage near the area where a jeep used by Zambra’s killers was set ablaze.
The Nissan Qashqai jeep was found nearby in a cul de sac off Sperrin Rd. This is beside Davitt Rd, a main artery providing drivers with a number of exit routes. There are cameras in the area and gardaí are checking recordings.
The killers opened fire when Zambra was in his car, on his way to visit a family member, at around 3pm. He exited the vehicle but was chased and shot a number of times, once in the face.
Sources said the shooting was “high-end” in terms of professionalism and pointed in the direction of dissident republicans.
Detectives said they were examining the possibility that Zambra was targeted by remnants of a Real IRA unit formerly headed by Alan Ryan, shot dead in September 2012. A senior member of that outfit and friend of Ryan, Declan Smith, was shot dead last March.
Gardaí suspect that Ryan’s murder was ordered by two crime bosses in north Dublin, who Zambra was associated with. However, they stress they are keeping an open mind.
Meanwhile, Irish authorities are now expected to apply for Thompson’s extradition to face charges relating to a pub row in 2013.
