Claims of friendly fire in Don Tidey kidnapping 'totally untrue'

Businessman and kidnap victim Don Tidey with his daughter Susan after his release in 1983. File Picture: Eamon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Driscoll has said that claims a garda and army private killed during the Don Tidey kidnapping had been killed by 'friendly fire' were “totally untrue” 

A complete review into the deaths would 'prove beyond doubt' that claims they were shot dead by garda or army weapons were totally untrue, he said. 

“We are going to gather the necessary evidence to prove that”.

Mr O'Driscoll said gardaí were finalising their review of the case which would conclude in “a short period of time” and would “prove beyond doubt” that the garda and the army private member were not killed by state weapons.

In a wide-ranging interview on RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland, the Assistant Commissioner said that the force would 'handle' allegations of garda corruption. 

“With any organisation of that size, there is potential for wrongdoing,” he said.

The force was very conscious that there were criminals who would target people who were vulnerable and worked within law enforcement.

Cybercrime

The Assistant Commissioner said the investigation of organised crime was now an international endeavour, with organised crime groups being targeted by a combination of law enforcement agencies and joint investigation teams from different jurisdictions.

The investigation into the cyberattack on the HSE was ongoing and would take time, but he said gardaí were confident that other people would be brought before the courts. 

He also said that gardaí believe they have identified the IP addresses of those behind the attack.

Assistant Garda Commissioner, John O’Driscoll. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Assistant Commissioner O’Driscoll went on to say the force had prevented the gang from carrying out a further 750 attacks and that each time they attempted to hack a computer system they were met with a Garda “cease-and-desist” notice.

We have a better knowledge of who was involved and they are not located in Ireland. We are working to gather sufficient evidence to secure prosecutions.

Even though the stolen HSE files and information had been found in the US, gardaí still believe the Conti group based in Eastern Europe was behind the attack.

The Assistant Commissioner, who is also the head of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said the bureau's main focus in 2021 has been to prevent gangland murder and protect life. 

This year, for the first time, gardaí handed over to the State more than €8m in cash it seized from criminals and organised crime groups.

The Organised Crime Bureau had intervened in 77 threat-to-life incidents since the Regency Hotel murder in 2016, but in just two such incidents this year, he said.

Sophie Toscan du Plantier

Assistant Commissioner O'Driscoll is also in charge of the Serious Crime Review Team, which is also known as the cold case unit, which is currently looking at a number of other historical cases, including the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in 1996.

He said the murder inquiry remained a live investigation, and that officers from the Serious Crime Review Team were also working with the senior investigating officer in charge of the case in Cork.

While the nature, extent, and timeline of a review of the case had yet to be decided, he said that there had been advances in forensics and other reasons why progress could now be achieved.