A criminal gang that has recently targeted members of An Garda Síochána with violence and intimidation is believed to be responsible for an incident early on Friday in which a shot was fired at a Garda car.

Two men in their 20s were arrested after their car was pursued by armed gardaí and brought to a stop just moments after they had rammed a Garda car in Co Kildare.

The incident happened just after 1am when gardaí received a number of calls from members of the public relating to men behaving suspiciously between the Carbery and Robertstown areas.

The Garda presence in the area has been heightened in recent months as part of a major investigation into a local drugs gang operating mainly in Kildare and Laois which has been targeting members of the force.

That operation has involved the deployment of the armed Regional Support Unit and when it responded to the calls from the public early on Friday it tried to stop a vehicle carrying two men.

However, the suspects rammed the Garda vehicle and fired one shot in their direction.

Garda pursuit

They then sped from the scene but were brought to a stop by pursuing gardaí near Clonmoyle, between Rathangan and Monasterevin.

The men were arrested and a handgun was seized. The firearm and the vehicle have been taken away for forensic analysis.

The arrested men were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and can be held for up to 72 hours without charge.

They are known to gardaí and were regarded as persons of interest in the wider investigation into the drugs gang that has been so active in the area of late.

While its leading figures are in their 40s and have been involved in drug dealing for many years, the Garda’s investigation of them has resulted in serious violence and intimidation of late.

In April a shotgun was fired at Carbury Garda station, which was closed at the time. Petrol was also poured in and an attempt to set the premises on fire.

Gardaí in Carbury subsequently began parking their cars at nearby stations or taking a lift in a patrol car on the final part of their journey to work.

Followed home

Some gardaí working in the area have been followed home and six local members have been issued with formal notices informing them of credible intelligence that suggests their lives are in danger.

The warnings, called ‘garda information messages’, are normally issued to criminals to warn them of a threat to their lives by others involved in crime.

The Garda is obliged under law to inform people when a credible threat to their life emerges.

Some local people in Co Kildare and into parts of Co Laois have had their cars burnt out. Gardaí believe the gang members were responsible and carried out the attacks because they suspect the victims were supplying the force with information or because they had simply been seen talking to officers.