Longford gardaí to turn up heat on feuding gangs

Senior garda bosses have said they are taking extremely seriously online threats made between feuding gangs which has seen rivalling criminals warn of using acid against each other as fears over a re-awakening of violence and dangerous criminality escalates.

It comes after an order was imposed at last week’s District Court sitting by Judge Seamus Hughes prohibiting the consumption of drinks at any future sittings. An example of that came at last Friday’s court when a woman was escorted outside after she had been found clutching a Coke bottle.

Part of the decision to upscale security followed the discovery of an acidic substance found in a car in which balaclavas and gloves were also recovered.

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It’s understood the culprits behind its retrieval are two young male suspects from Longford town, both of whom are considered volatile and come with a string of convictions to their name. One of the pair is also being investigated as being one of the chief suspects behind a shooting incident at a house in the Gleann Riada housing estate last month.

The emergence of the latest disturbing twist in tensions between two feuding factions also saw an armed garda presence both inside and outside court last week. In a separate development, images of two masked men brandishing a shotgun and machine gun in so-called ‘call out videos’ emerged over the weekend.

One of those also saw a number of men post an online video appearing to goad an opposing crime gang into battle at Longford’s Ballymacormack Cemetery. The Leader understands detectives are hopeful of making progress in identifying those responsible with one of the suspects believed to be from the north Longford area.

The 29-year-old is currently before the courts and is due to stand trial at Longford Circuit Criminal Court next month in relation to his alleged involvement in a violent incident last year. Superintendent Jim Delaney said the events of the past few days would form part of the Gardaí’s well documented Operation Stola initiative.

“We are taking this seriously,” he said.

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Set up in June of this year, Operation Stola has sparked more than "1,100 proactive incidents" by gardaí ranging from armed checkpoints, bail curfew checks, searches, patrols and various undercover operations. There have also been 26 arrests for offences ranging from possession of firearms, stabbings, assaults as well as public order offences.

Meanwhile, the Leader can also exclusively reveal the Garda Ombudsman is to take action against a north Longford man involved in an incident last year after a confrontation in which a dog was allegedly shot dead by a then garda sergeant last December.

The 29-year-old allegedly suffered minor injuries to his lower leg in the incident when a bullet from the officer's gun ricocheted. Following a lengthy GSOC investigation, the highly respected and decorated officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing and promoted to the rank of inspector.

The garda was publically congratulated in court last week by Judge Seamus Hughes in what was one of his first official duties since his promotion was confirmed.

In the aftermath of that, the Leader has learned GSOC officials now intend to launch proceedings against the man involved in the stand off with gardaí after he lodged a formal complaint with the organisation last December.

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