Man arrested over shots fired at funeral for Real IRA gang leader Alan Ryan

Suspect being questioned in Dublin

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Mourners at the funeral of Real IRA member Alan Ryan at the Church of the Holy Trinity in cemetery in Balgriffin, Dublin.

Photo by PA

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A suspect has been taken into questioning in connection with the shots that were fired during the funeral procession for the Real IRA’s gang leader Alan Ryan in September.

The Irish Independent reports that the suspect is being questioned at Raheny Garda Station under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act 1939, which allows detentions in relation to gun offences and terrorism.

Alan Ryan was murdered on September 3 in Clongriffin in Dublin. Hundreds of dissident republican supporters attended his funeral on September 8 in the Grange Abbey Drive area of north Dublin.

The Independent reports that as part of the funeral procession, a gun salute was offered over Ryan’s coffin, which was draped with the tri-color. “Mourners attempted to shield the gunmen from onlooking gardai and cameras as they changed out of combat gear and scarves in a van at the church.”

As part of a plan codenamed Operation Ambience following the gun salute at the funeral, gardai arrested sixteen people in one week in counties Dublin, Meath and Kildare, and three imitation guns were seized during dawn raids. Ryan's younger brother Vincent Ryan, 33-year-old Nathan Kinsella, and 23-year-old Darragh Evans were later charged with IRA membership at Dublin's Special Criminal Court.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter said the show of strength at Ryan’s funeral was “reprehensible and absolutely unacceptable".

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