Estonian hitman told associates he would take out James Gately with "one shot to head"

An Estonian hitman who was put under surveillance after he flew into Ireland told his associates in a text message that he would take out his target with "one shot to the head", the non-jury Special Criminal Court heard today.

Ex-wrestler Imre Arakas, who the court heard was a former Estonian separatist who been "scarred deeply" by imprisonment in Russia, bought a wig in Dublin city and used an encrypted Blackberry phone to receive information about the movements and location of James Gately in Northern Ireland.