Fear of reprisals grow after Finglas gangland shooting

Fears were mounting tonight of an escalation in a bloody gangland feud after a known criminal associate was gunned down at his workplace in daylight hours.

The latest victim of a suspected row between warring underworld factions was named locally as Colm Owens, 34, from Finglas in north Dublin.

A masked man is thought to have fired several shots into his torso and head at the Corn Store animal feed warehouse at Grove Industrial Estate, Dubber Lane, Finglas, at around 12.10pm.

Owens, a father-of-one with no criminal convictions, was working at the time.

Detectives believe the gunman fled the scene in a waiting silver Audi A4 car being driven by an accomplice.

Responding to the latest killing, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he backed calls for a high-profile armed policing presence in the capital's troubled neighbourhoods, similar to Limerick.

"I would favour that, in-your-face policing which has been working well in Limerick," he told the Press Association.

"There's always a worry of tit-for-tat killings and sometimes there are connections between murders.

"In relation to this incident we will have to wait and see, but I would like to see heightened security as we have seen in Limerick, and also Dublin, in recent times."

Mr Ahern said there was already a saturated covert garda presence in Finglas.

Referring to recent anti-gangland legislation credited with reducing gun crime in Limerick, Mr Ahern said gardaí have all the resources they need to tackle organised criminals.

Owens, who had addresses at Bishopsmede, Clanbrassil Street, in Dublin's south inner city as well as at Dunsoghly Avenue in Finglas, was an associate of murdered crime boss Eamon Dunne - nicknamed 'The Don'.

Dunne was shot dead in the Fassaugh House pub in Cabra, north Dublin, in April as he socialised with friends and family.

The latest shooting follows murder of the Corbally brothers Kenneth, 32, and Paul, 35, who were sitting in a Lexus car on Neilstown Road, west Dublin.

A 16-year-old boy wounded in the attack on June 28 is said to be recovering.

Detectives believe Owens' killer and the accomplice collided with two cars on Tolka Valley Road during their escape, before abandoning the 08-D registered Audi on Carrigallen Road in Finglas South.

Locals in the quiet residential area reported seeing a balaclava-clad pair leap over railings near Tolka Valley Park and into the neighbouring Barnamore area.

Both the scenes of the shooting and the abandoned car were sealed off for forensic tests by garda technical experts.

State pathologist Marie Cassidy was called to Dubber Lane to carry out a preliminary post-mortem examination. A full examination will be carried out in the morning.

The murder brings to 16 the number who have died this year in gun killings.

Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte warned: "We know from previous experience that a murder like this is likely to set off another vicious round of tit-for-tat killings and there is a danger that, once again, innocent people will be caught in the crossfire."

Mr Rabbitte said criminal gangs are prepared to murder because they know there is little prospect of being brought to justice.

Pointing to figures which show only 23 convictions for 193 gun murders since 1998, he said killers end up behind bars in just one gun murder in eight.

Bill Tormey, a councillor who lives about a quarter of a mile from the scene of the shooting, said a bloody gangland feud is striking fear into the neighbourhood.

"This reminds me of the Cold War - it's mutually assured destruction," he said. "The two sides have their nuclear bombs - their firearms. A truce needs to be called."

Dr Tormey said there is constant talk about relatives of victims threatening reprisals, leaving innocent residents fearful of the next shooting.

"It's endless. An awful lot of people are very afraid," he said.

The Fine Gael councillor called for both undercover and high-profile visible security to be stepped up in Finglas and Ballymun over the coming days.