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A republican group has vowed to wipe out "all known drug dealers" in a chilling statement passed to the Irish Mirror.

Using a code word an individual claiming to be from 'Action Against Drugs' said they viewed the murders of Vincent 'Vinnie' Ryan earlier this week and his brother Alan in September 2012 as a "declaration of war".

The caller continued:"We have now put all units on war footing and all known drug dealers and criminal elements are now considered legitimate targets from Midnight tonight."

The statement has been passed on to gardai at Finglas who are investigating the murder of barber Ryan, 25, on Monday.

However the Irish Mirror has been unable to verify the code word used by the caller. Action Against Drugs previously claimed responsibility for the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan in Belfast last August.

It has been suggested ex-Provisional IRA members shot dead the father of nine in a revenge attack over the May murder of former IRA commander Jock Davison in the Markets area of the city.

The group was suspected of shooting at another door in Belfast a month later. It is believed that the relatively unknown grouping consists of former Provisional IRA members rather than dissidents.

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This is the first time that the grouping has made threats against drug dealers in Dublin.

The full statement passed on to the Irish Mirror reads: "We view the deaths of Republicans Alan and Vinny Ryan as a declaration of war.

"We have now put all units on war footing and all known drug dealers and criminal elements are now considered legitimate targets from Midnight tonight."

A senior security source said on the statement: "This is an example of republicans seeking revenge for one of their own being shot. They are targeting drug dealers as a smoke screen.

"So when they shoot one of Mr Big's crowd they'll say they are ridding the community of a known drug dealer."

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