Gardaí are expected to launch a significant security operation around the funeral of murder victim David Byrne.
The publication of photographs of his attackers and the dead man’s remains has heightened fears that trouble may flare at the funeral, especially targeted at the media if there is a large presence of photographers and reporters.
“Tensions are high anyway and this is [a funeral] we would definitely be putting people on the ground for,” said a Garda source.
“But if some of these people were to see a lot of cameras from the newspapers and TV; there is always the chance something could happen and escalate fast so that will have to be planned for.”
Garda checkpoints by armed detectives and high-visibility uniform patrols have been stepped up in those parts of Dublin where the dead man’s associates live and in other parts of the city where most of the gang believed to have murdered him come from.
The large Garda presence is intended to deter anyone linked to Byrne or the group that killed him from attempting another attack as the security situation remains so volatile.
Weigh-in
A statement was issued on Sunday night claiming to be from the Continuity IRA that claimed responsibility for the gun attack at the boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, north Dublin, last Friday afternoon that left Byrne (34) dead and two wounded.
However, a second statement was issued last night, also claiming to be from the organisation, insisting it had no involvement in either the attack or the initial statement.
Gardaí still believe associates of criminal Gary Hutch from north inner Dublin city went to the hotel to shoot members of the Spain-based drugs cartel led by Christy Kinahan.
When Hutch, a one-time member of the Kinahan gang, was shot dead in Spain in September, his former associates were believed responsible.
The Kinahan and Hutch gangs are now embroiled in a bitter gun feud that has been simmering for years.
Garda sources last night said Byrne’s funeral details were still being finalised but they expected it to take place in his native Crumlin, probably this week.
It is anticipated the security operation will take the form of uniformed gardaí taking a visible but discreet as possible presence on the streets close to the funeral proceedings.
Armed Garda members, along with the Public Order Unit, would likely be held in reserve, although they might not be visible to those present.
Some Garda sources said they expected a number of key figures from the drugs underworld in Dublin and Spain, where the Kinahan gang is based, to be present.
Media attention
However, other sources believe many will stay away because of the media attention the funeral is likely to attract.
Meanwhile, the two men who were wounded in the attack that claimed the life of career criminal Byrne were still receiving medical treatment last night, although they are expected to make a full recovery.
Parts of the hotel where the attack took place remained sealed off yesterday while the Garda investigation of the scene was ongoing.
Six-man gang
Senior officers said they were satisfied with the progress of the investigation, including their efforts to confirm the identities of the six-man gang at the scene.
Of those, three were dressed in mock-up Garda SWAT-style uniforms and were armed with AK47s.
There were two other men carrying handguns, one of whom was dressed as a woman and the other wearing only a cap as disguise.
A large volume of CCTV and photographs has been gathered,and gardaí are reconstructing the movements of the gang members inside the hotel.
