Crime boss under protection in prison

The jailed crime boss under suspicion for the murder of dissident republican Vincent Ryan is under prison protection — but has not received a death threat over the fatal shooting.

Prison authorities have records of a previous warning that he was under threat for the 2012 murder of Vincent’s brother, Alan Ryan, the then Dublin leader of the Real IRA.

The Irish Examiner understands that while the criminal figure has been moved between a number of small protection areas within the prison, his status has not changed since February 18 — before the murder of Vincent Ryan last Monday.