The man was held after gardai stopped and searched a car on the Dundalk to Ardee Road last night.

A psychopathic 32-year-old criminal, who is the leader of a breakaway INLA splinter group, suffered a severe beating from a number of Traveller thugs who he was closely aligned to, writes Ken Foy.

There are now fears the dangerous gangster, who was previously cleared of a murder charge, will embark on a revenge mission against his former Traveller business partners, who are based in Dundalk, Co Louth.

"A severe beating was dished out to the Republican when he had a major disagreement with the Travellers because of an extortion cash dispute.

"This is the not type of fella to take something like this lying down. He is classified as highly dangerous and it has been advised only armed gardai should approach him, so the Travellers will need to be ultra cautious unless they can sort this out," a source explained.

The dissident Republican, who is originally from Belfast, has been heavily involved in extortion activities over the past two years and his cash drive was boosted after he enlisted the help of a north inner city pipe-bomb maker, who was released from Portlaoise Prison earlier this year.

Also associated with the dangerous INLA killer's cash drive is a veteran dissident Republican from south Dublin, who was booted out of the new IRA organisation having served a lengthy jail sentence for a botched armed robbery.

The Herald previously revealed the criminal who is leading the cash drive has built up close links with organised Traveller gangs in Louth and Meath, and he has been operating along the border.

However, this working relationship is now in "serious doubt".

In March of last year, it emerged the leader of the breakaway extortion mob caused a major security alert in all 13 stations in the Louth garda division, after officers received "highly sensitive intelligence" that he planned to break into a station to steal garda uniforms.

The dangerous dissident was previously very friendly with Declan 'Fat Deccy' Smith - the Belfast man who died after he was shot in the face outside a north Dublin creche last year.

He also has links to fellow INLA extortionist Declan 'Whacker' Duffy. It is understood he cannot return to his native Belfast because of an active threat on his life.

Source Irish Independent

Irish Independent