Posted on 06/26/2006 10:36:03 PM PDT by Cindy
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) -- Family and friends of Veronica Guerin, the investigative reporter whose slaying shocked Ireland and triggered a government crackdown on organized crime, laid flowers and prayed Monday near the spot where she was shot to death a decade ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Sub Heading: “Bernie Guerin talks of her pain and her daughter’s legacy”
By Nicola Tallant
Sunday February 24 2008
SNIPPET: “On Dirty Money, which is based on The Untouchables, by Paul Williams, we see video footage of crime boss John Gilligan and his gang living the high life in Spain prior to the murder. On one clip, Gilligan sings The Wild Rover surrounded by his henchmen, and in another he chases a toddler on his knees.
Former Assistant Garda Commissioner Tony Hickey says the gang made so much money in such a short space of time because of “spectacular” connections Gilligan had made abroad and particularly in Amsterdam.”
http://www.truthusa.com/NewsInternetGuerin.html
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=%22Veronica+Guerin%22&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d
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Note: Photo included.
“’Villainous’ Holland back in familiar surroundings”
National News Home
By Don Lavery
Sunday May 04 2008
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Career criminal Patrick Dutchy Holland — the Dublin thug named in court by a garda officer as the man who shot dead Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin 12 years ago — will see out much of his old age in the same way as he has spent a lot of his life, behind bars.
Holland, who denied being involved in the journalist’s murder and who was never convicted of the cowardly killing, will be in his mid-70s by the time he gets out of a British prison after his latest bumbling attempt at becoming a master criminal in the UK.”
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Note: Photos included.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7380495.stm
Page last updated at 14:50 GMT, Friday, 2 May 2008 15:50 UK
“Guerin suspect jailed for kidnap”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A man police suspect of killing Irish journalist Veronica Guerin has been jailed for planning a £10m “honey trap” plot to kidnap a businessman.
Patrick Holland, 68, and others aimed to place a secretary at Nasir Zahid’s firm and persuade her to ask him on a date before grabbing him.
But she was unable to get a job at his firm, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.
Holland was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap and jailed for eight years. Four more people have also been jailed.
Kahn Coombs, 24, of no fixed address and the gang’s bait for Mr Zahid, was jailed for four years.
Gerrard Booth, 47, of Co Down, was jailed for seven years and John McDonnell, 45, of Lewisham, south-east London, was jailed for eight years.
They were all found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap.”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “During Holland’s recent two-month trial, the jury saw lengthy surveillance evidence of him meeting his alleged paymaster, Patrick Van Cantfort, a wealthy European businessman. He is currently being sought by police.
They heard he ordered the kidnapping apparently believing Mr Zahid had double-crossed him over an alleged £10m VAT fraud.
Crime reporter Ms Guerin was killed by a motorcycle pillion passenger in the Irish Republic on June 26, 1996.
The following year, Holland was arrested and jailed for possession of 10kgs (22lbs) of cannabis resin.
His trial heard the Irish police officer who arrested him believed he killed the 37-year-old.”
http://www.truthusa.com/NewsInternetGuerin.html
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7332221.stm
Page last updated at 19:46 GMT, Friday, 2 May 2008 20:46 UK
“Is this man Veronica Guerin’s killer?”
By Chris Summers
BBC News
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/features/daily-features/article3839849.ece
“Was Guerin’s war on drugs in vain?”
Friday, June 27, 2008
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“Twelve years after Veronica’s murder, the fight against Dublin’s druglords rages on”
By Jim Cusack
Sunday June 22 2008
http://www.truthusa.com/NewsInternetGuerin.html
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UPDATE:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/213237.html
(GUARDIAN UNLIMITED)
“Gilligan Gets 24hr Protection Over Gang Death Threat Fears”
“Former leader of Ireland’s biggest drugs gang is in danger after causing security clampdown in jail”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “John Gilligan, the Dublin criminal, one of whose gang murdered Veronica Guerin, is receiving 24-hour protection inside Ireland’s top-security Portlaoise prison, to safeguard him from other prisoners.
Gilligan, who was acquitted of Guerin’s murder, has been put in temporary segregation from other inmates over fears he could be murdered in jail, The Observer has learnt. The former leader of Ireland’s biggest drugs gang has been accused of causing a security clampdown on contraband after he was caught this week with a mobile phone, two sim cards and a syringe for injecting himself with muscle-building steroids.
They are also angry that his recent interview in Irish pop magazine Hot Press via a mobile phone and the discovery of another phone in his cell contributed to the clampdown, security sources said.”
http://www.truthusa.com/NewsInternetGuerin.html
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“Gilligans in last-ditch bid to prevent Jessbrook seizure”
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Today in the Supreme Court, Geraldine Gilligan’s lawyers argued that there were no allegations that she had been involved in crime or that she knew the properties were purchased with the proceeds of crime.
John Gilligan, who was cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin and is serving 20 years for drug dealing, is representing himself and will make submissions to the five-judge court later.”
UPDATE:
“Garda’s finest finally get the all clear as TDs’ claims blasted
Decorated officers: Pair amongst best on the force”
By Kevin Doyle
Wednesday October 08 2008
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Two of the garda’s most senior officers were today totally exonerated from malicious allegations aired by two TDs.
Assistant Commissioners Kevin Carty — tipped as a future Commissioner — and Tony Hickey had to wait years for the Morris Tribunal to vindicate them in the face of the false allegations.”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Judge Morris described the claims as appalling allegations, untrue and unwarranted.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/30/ireland-gangland-crime-lords
“State fails to stop rise of gangs in Limerick
Two criminal officers ‘not enough’ to crack down on gangland crime lords”
Henry McDonald, Ireland editor
The Observer, Sunday 30 November 2008
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The clamour for a crackdown has been compared to the national anger over the murder of campaigning journalist Veronica Guerin 12 years ago, by members of a Dublin criminal gang. In an interview with The Observer this weekend, her brother Jimmy Guerin predicted that the furore over the Geoghegan murder would pass and the state would fail to confront the gang warfare in Limerick.
Guerin said ‘For a short time after the tribute I thought this might be the tipping point, but then I remembered what happened after Veronica was killed. The Gilligan gang [which murdered the reporter] may have been smashed but others have taken their place. The gangs have gone forth and multiplied all over this country.
‘The state has the power to smash these guys’ doors down in Limerick and arrest dozens of them. It doesn’t have the political will to do that. I suspect, no I fear, that Shane’s death as a national cause will be forgotten about within six weeks.’”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5258602.ece
From The Sunday Times
November 29, 2008
“Temporary drug detention law to be made permanent
Justice minister Dermot Ahern is to put on a permanent footing a power that allows gardai to hold drug trafficking suspects for up to seven days”
John Mooney
A TEMPORARY power that allows gardai to detain drug trafficking suspects for up to seven days is to be made permanent by Dermot Ahern, the justice minister.
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “The measure is in the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act, which was rushed through the Dail by the rainbow coalition government in 1996 following the murder of Veronica Guerin, a crime reporter.
The legislation, which at the time was considered to be a substantial extension of garda powers, was introduced on a temporary basis at the insistence of the Labour party in order to safeguard civil rights. Its powers have been renewed ever since by the Dail, but are to expire again next month.
Now Ahern has decided to put the law on a permanent footing, following a detailed examination of its enforcement which concluded that its provision had not been abused by gardai.”
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/armed-guard-for-gilligans-day-in-court-1846756.html
“Armed guard for Gilligan’s day in court”
By Andrew Phelan
Thursday July 30 2009
SNIPPET: “Former crime boss John Gilligan was brought to court under heavy armed guard over allegations that he was caught with a mobile phone in jail.”
SNIPPET: “He is accused of possession of a Nokia handset and Meteor Sim card at Portlaoise Prison on July 30 last year without the governor’s permission. The offence is under the Prisons Act, new legislation brought in in 2007.”
SNIPPET: “The judge remanded him in custody to appear in court again on August 3.
As he waited to be led out, Gilligan chatted with a prison guard and glanced around the courtroom.
Gilligan was accused and acquitted of ordering the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin in June 1996. He denied any involvement and was cleared after a lengthy trial in the Special Criminal Court.”
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/dublin-gangster-to-face-dutch-charges-1851012.html
“Dublin gangster to face Dutch charges”
By Isabel Conway
Wednesday August 05 2009
SNIPPET: “A Dublin criminal with links to the gang behind the murder of Veronica Guerin has been told he will stay in jail in Amsterdam pending trial on charges of being in possession of guns, ammunition and false documents.
The examining judge yesterday ordered that criminal Peter Mitchell (40), originally from Summerhill in Dublin’s north inner city, be detained for a further 60 days on the request of the prosecuting justice officer who indicated that it would take some months to complete the police investigation.”
SNIPPET: “In August of last year, Mitchell survived what had all the hallmarks of a gang hit outside a bar in the Spanish resort of Puerto Banus near Marbella.
He was shot twice but his injuries were not serious. A former member of John Gilligan’s drugs gang, in 2004 he was arrested in connection with the discovery of heroin and ammunition in an Amsterdam apartment. He was later sentenced to 20 months in jail.”
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/macintyre-shows-new-gang-threat-1861170.html
“MacIntyre shows new gang threat”
By Caitlin McBride
Saturday August 15 2009
SNIPPET: “”The death of Veronica Guerin and also the frequent death threats that crime reporter Paul Williams gets would be a huge concern.”
For the filming of the show, Donal moved to Ireland for six months with his wife, Ameera, and their two daughters, Tiger (2) and Allegra (5).
He believes there is every reason to fear the next generation of Irish gangland criminals.”
SNIPPET: “The journalist says parallels can be drawn between crime families in Ireland and the UK.
“The connection between the crime worlds is very acute. I think there is no doubt that they follow the same patterns of behaviour,” he said.
Donal has had numerous threats on his life and been attacked on several occasions, most recently when his wife was also beaten by gang members disgruntled with his work.
In spite of his skyrocketing career, it has been a difficult time for the reporter as his wife has a brain tumour.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0619/breaking51.htm
Last Updated: Friday, June 19, 2009, 15:18
“’Dutchy’ Holland dies in prison”
SNIPPET: “Garda Marion Cusack had told the court she arrested Holland after he arrived at the Dún Laoghaire ferry port on April 9th, 1997, on suspicion of having a firearm at the junction of the Naas Road and Boot Road on June 26th, 1996, when Ms Guerin was shot.
In cross-examination Garda Cusack had said: “I had formed the opinion that Patrick Holland was the man who shot dead Veronica Guerin on June 26th, 1996.”
Holland was never convicted of the murder. However, he was convicted of drugs offences relating to the activities of the gang led by John Gilligan.
Holland was sentenced to 20 years which was later reduced to 12 on appeal.”
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Blog:
Note: Photo included.
http://saoirse32.blogsome.com/2009/06/20/guerin-killer-dutchy-holland-dies-in-prison/
20/6/2009
‘Guerin killer’ Dutchy Holland dies in prison
Filed under: an príomhbhóthar
By Tom Brady
Independent.ie
Saturday June 20 2009
SNIPPET: “VETERAN gunman Patrick Eugene Holland, who was named by gardai as the killer of journalist Veronica Guerin, died in an English prison cell yesterday.
Holland (70) was found dead by prison officers around 6am in Parkhurst jail on the Isle of Wight where he was serving an eight-year sentence for his role in a £10m plot to kidnap an English businessman.”
SNIPPET: “During the early part of his criminal career he was known to gardai, particularly members of the Special Branch, as Gene.
But after he was linked to the gang responsible for the murder of ‘Sunday Independent’ journalist, Veronica Guerin, in June 1996, he was given the nickname, “Dutchy”, which stayed with him.
Holland’s name was placed on a list of key suspects for the murder as an investigation into the shooting of the journalist in her car at the Naas Road was set up by assistant garda commissioner Tony Hickey.
Intelligence gathered by the team of detectives indicated that Holland had been the pillion passenger on a motorcycle that was used in the murder.
Gardai were satisfied after a lengthy investigation that Holland fired the fatal shot as he and another gang member, Brian Meehan, pulled alongside Ms Guerin’s car.
But they were unable to secure the evidence to ensure that he would be convicted on a murder charge. However, during his trial in the Special Criminal Court, Garda Marion Cusack named him as the man believed to have been the killer.”
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“’Dutchy’ Holland guilty of plotting €13m hostage scam”
By Grainnne Cunningham
Saturday March 29 2008
SNIPPET: “PATRICK ‘Dutchy’ Holland, the man named in court by a garda officer as the suspected killer of journalist Veronica Guerin, was yesterday convicted of masterminding a €13m kidnap plot.
Holland, considered to be one of the country’s most notorious criminals, organised the scheme to abduct west London businessman Nasir Zahid using Khan Coombs (24) as a ‘honeytrap’.
The 68-year-old, who has always denied any involvement in the 1996 assassination of Ms Guerin, was secretly filmed and taped making plans to kidnap Mr Zahid and keep him prisoner until a massive ransom had been paid.”
SNIPPET: “Holland, who was living at Russett Way, Lewisham, south east London, was unanimously found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap Nasir Zahid between March 10 and May 2 last year”
“’Devil’s Advocate’ Rejects Fraud Allegations”
11:04am UK, Wednesday February 16, 2011
Gary Mitchell, Sky News Online
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http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/di-stefano-held-on-british-warrant-493625.html
“Di Stefano held on British warrant”
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - 04:05 PM
SNIPPET: “High-profile lawyer Giovanni di Stefano, who once acted as a consultant to Saddam Hussein’s defence team, has been arrested on suspicion of fraud on a British warrant in Spain.”
SNIPPET: “He also defended former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tarik Aziz, the international face of the Saddam regime, and convicted drug dealer Patrick ‘Dutchy’ Holland, who was named during his 1997 trial by a garda as the man who shot journalist Veronica Guerin.”
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/gangsters-to-bid-farewell-to-kirkwood-2546625.html
“Gangsters to bid farewell to Kirkwood”
By Cormac Byrne
Friday February 18 2011
SNIPPET: “ONE of Dublin’s best-known ‘old school’ criminals was due to be cremated today.
A number of the capital’s longest-standing gangsters were expected to attend the funeral of Charlie Kirkwood, a fraudster and ‘safe man’ from the south inner city.”
SNIPPET: “A well-known criminal in the capital since the 1960s, Kirkwood was pals with Sean ‘The Fixer’ Fitzgerald, Martin ‘Viper’ Foley and Veronica Guerin murder suspect John ‘The Coach’ Traynor.”
I wonder if Kirkwood made any death bed confessions... that might be interesting.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0402/1224293650313.html
“Gilligan given eight months for mobile in cell”
by EOGHAN MacCONNELL
SNIPPET: “AN ADDITIONAL sentence of eight months in prison was imposed on John Gilligan yesterday after he was found guilty at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court of possessing a mobile phone in his Portlaoise Prison cell.
After 48 District Court appearances and a High Court appeal, the 59-year-old convicted criminal was sentenced to a further jail term for illegally possessing a Nokia mobile phone in his cell on July 30th, 2008.
Prison officers searched Gilligan’s cell after an officer heard a conversation in the cell late at night on July 29th, 2008.
The phone was found along with a phone charger, a Sim card, a number of pills, a syringe part and two pairs of women’s underwear.”
SNIPPET: “He was found not guilty of the murder in 1996 of Veronica Guerin.”
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Previously...
http://www.thejournal.ie/john-gilligan-loses-appeal-against-prison-sentence-2011-03/
“John Gilligan loses appeal against prison sentence”
31/03/11
SNIPPET: “CONVICTED DRUG DEALER John Gilligan has lost a high court appeal aimed at securing his release from prison.”
SNIPPET: “Gilligan is long been suspected of having ordered the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996, according to the Irish Daily Mirror.”
http://www.firstpost.com/topic/person/veronica-guerin-profile-20151.html
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“Was Veronica Guerin suspect allowed to escape because he knew too much?”
By Gemma O’Doherty
Thursday January 12 2012
SNIPPET: “GARDAI have refused to dismiss a sensational new claim that they were involved in a top-level cover-up in the case of murdered priest Fr Niall Molloy.
The allegation has been read by thousands of people who bought the Christmas bestseller Badfellas by crime writer Paul Williams.
In it, he says that notorious Dublin criminal John Traynor returned a stolen Garda file on the Molloy case in return for a promise that charges against him would be dropped.
Williams says: “The file contained notes and statements that certain people in power did not want in the public domain.”
John Traynor is the prime suspect in the murder of Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin. He was the crime reporter’s main underworld source, and prior to her murder was seeking an injunction to prevent her writing about his connections with organised crime.
He fled the country after her death in 1996 yet gardai have always claimed they did not have sufficient evidence to link him to her murder.”
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