GARDAÍ IN Limerick fear an escalation in gangland violence following the discovery of a shallow grave which is believed to contain the remains of a gangland criminal.
The victim is believed to have been murdered in a dispute within the gang that shot dead 40-year-old Mark Moloney in the Garryowen area of the city on Saturday afternoon.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea described the two weekend murders as "barbaric".
Speaking to The Irish Timeslast night, he said feuding was becoming more fractured, with splinter groups emerging.
The increasingly fluid nature of the fighting had resulted in him declining a recent approach to mediate between the gangs.
"They're desperados," he said of those involved. "They'll take whatever chance they get to get a score against the opposition. It's a very difficult situation."
Limerick gardaí had prevented many attacks and had solved more shootings than perhaps any other Garda division, he said.
The weekend killings took place despite the emergency response unit (ERU) being drafted in to Limerick last week to quell increased tensions.
The shallow grave containing the human remains was found at about midday yesterday on waste ground close to the Caledonian Park area. The discovery was made by gardaí who were searching the area for guns used in two shootings in the city on Saturday.
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy carried out a preliminary examination of the grave site yesterday. The body was due to be exhumed for postmortem this morning.
Informed Garda sources said that although a formal identification was not possible yesterday they believe the remains are those of a Limerick man aged between 18 and 20. He has been missing since Saturday.
While searching the waste ground where the shallow grave is located gardaí found a machine pistol, a semi-automatic handgun and ammunition.
Gardaí are working on the theory that the remains in the grave are those of a man who was associated with the gang that killed Mark Moloney.
They believe he aided these men by sourcing the Black Toyota Celica car used in the shooting.
It was bought in Tipperary last week and was found burnt out in Drombana, Co Limerick, after the Mark Moloney killing.
Informed sources believe the gang who killed Mr Moloney were concerned their associate who sourced the car was about to panic and turn Garda informer, so they decided to kill and bury him.
Mr Moloney was not actively involved in the Limerick feud.
He was friends with members of the Keane-Collopy faction, with whom another gang, the McCarthy-Dundons, have been feuding.
Gardaí believe that friendship was the reason he was killed.
An 18-year-old man remained in Garda custody last night for questioning in relation to a non-fatal gun attack in the early hours of Saturday morning on a house in O'Malley Park.
Gardaí believe the gun attack is linked to Mark Moloney's shooting later that day.
