Revenge fears as Fat Freddie gangsters torch woman's car

Irish Herald

By Cormac Looney

Friday May 29 2009

GARDAI are on alert in south Dublin after the latest attack in the Crumlin gang feud.

Officers fear further violence in the coming days after two men were caught torching a car in the capital.

According to sources, the pair are associates of underworld boss 'Fat' Freddie Thompson (28), who heads a gang involved in a long-running local dispute with a rival outfit.

Gardai on mobile patrol in the area spotted the men acting suspiciously close to a vehicle. When they investigated it was discovered that the car was ablaze.

The vehicle belongs to a woman who is in no way involved in crime. She was singled out because of a personal connection to a local man, gardai believe.

The two men then sped from the scene and were pursued by gardai. When they abandoned their car, officers arrested one of the men.

The second man remains at large and is being sought by gardai today.

The woman's car was badly damaged in the incident, officers said.

drug

Gardai believe that the attack is the latest incident in the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, a violent dispute between two gangs which is linked to the control of drug dealing across the south city.

The feud has been exacerbated by the tit-for-tat murders of a number of gang members over the past eight years.

Violence in the feud has been lowered over the past six months after a truce was brokered between two families on either side.

But despite this, there has been feud-related attacks, including the murder of Shay Bradley, shot dead in Tallaght on March 13 last.

His death was the 14th associated with the feud.

Serious

While serious attacks have lessened in the wake of the truce, there have been a number of ongoing attacks on property carried out by associates of the two gangs.

Last January an innocent woman had a pipe bomb placed under her car at Stanaway Road in Crumlin.

Gardai are still investigating that incident, and they believe the car in question may have belonged to an associate of Freddie Thompson's girlfriend.

clooney@herald.ie

- Cormac Looney