Flanagan warns there is ‘no hiding place’ for gangs

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has warned members of the Kinahan and Hutch gangs at the centre of a spate of murders in inner city Dublin they have “no hiding place” and will be tracked down for their “brutal and heinous” murders.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings just 48 hours after the latest killing in the capital linked to the ongoing gangland feud, Mr Flanagan said it is essential the violence in the community ends.

Calling on members of the community to provide any information they have available to investigating gardaí in order to protect their neighbourhood as well as the wider public, Mr Flanagan said officers are working “round the clock” to stamp out the turf war.

And, in a clear message to the Kinahan and Hutch gangs, Mr Flanagan insisted those involved in what was happening had “no hiding place” and would eventually be brought to justice for what they had done:

“In respect of the latest murder in the inner city area of Dublin, this is a matter of great concern. My message to the perpetrators and their associates is that there is no hiding place for such activity, there is no place for such brutal heinous murder in our capital city, and every effort will be made by An Garda Síochána to ensure that the persons responsible are brought to justice.

“I have an obligation as minister for justice to ensure our streets are safe, that’s why in budget 2018 we provided €100m for Garda overtime, and a 24-hour round the clock unit is patrolling the area.

“I want to join with the gardaí in appealing for any and all information in the community from anybody, however innocuous the information may seem. I would encourage anyone in the community to pass on information to the gardaí,” he said.

Mr Flanagan’s comments came 48 hours after 27-year-old Jason Molyneaux was shot dead on North William St in Dublin’s north inner city after what gardaí said was an attempt to “lure” him to his death.

Mr Molyneaux had more than 120 previous convictions and was a known associate of Derek Hutch, who was also shot dead last week and whose funeral took place on Wednesday under tight Garda surveillance.

Speaking at Mr Hutch’s funeral on Wednesday, Fr Michael Casey appealed for an end to the gang war violence, saying it has only brought havoc and devastation on the community.

Addressing the wider public in the area, Fr Casey said anyone who might consider getting involved in the violence should realise they will become “the walking dead” as they would be destined to either be killed or end up in prison.

The Hutch-Kinahan feud began in 2015 and has to date taken the lives of 14 people, the majority of whom have been linked to the Hutch gang.