A Limerick gang member was in Garda custody last night following a lunchtime gun attack during which shots were fired from one moving car into another on one of the busiest roads into the city.
Gardaí believe the shooting was a murder attempt linked to the ongoing feud between criminal factions.
It follows increased tension between Limerick's gangs in recent weeks. No-one was injured in the shooting.
The target of the latest shooting, a man in his early twenties, is a member of the gang that gardaí believe carried out December's attack on Kieran Keane's former associate.
He is from the Moyross area and is a member of the notorious McCarthy-Dundon gang. Some members are serving life in prison for the murder of Keane.
Yesterday's shooting took place at about 1.30pm after the intended victim had made a court appearance in Ennis and was travelling alone on the main road back to Limerick city.
According to gardaí both vehicles were travelling in the same direction on the Ennis Road dual carriageway when shots were fired over a 2½ mile stretch of road from Setrights pub in Cratloe to the Radisson Hotel on the outskirts of Limerick city.
It is believed at least three shots were fired.
A Volkswagen Passat was discovered a short time later abandoned near the front of the Radisson Hotel where it had crashed through a barrier.
Gardaí also spent yesterday carrying out forensic tests on the second vehicle which was discovered on the northside of the city with bullet holes.
In a follow-up operation a 19-year-man was arrested for questioning.
He was being detained at Mayorstone Park Garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
He can be held for three days without charge. He is one of a number of criminals in their late teens or early twenties who are increasingly becoming involved in the feud.
Gardaí fear these are beginning to take the place of more than 20 criminals who were imprisoned in the 18 months to mid-2004 following the Keane murder and other related serious incidents.
Last month one of Limerick's best known criminals was lucky to escape with his life after he was shot twice.
The victim of that attack was very closely aligned to Limerick's biggest drug dealer, Keane, who was shot dead just outside the city in 2003 following an unprecedented increase in the level of gangland activity.
Last month's victim was shot in the ankle and thigh and is still recovering. However, gardaí believe that shooting was also linked to the ongoing feud and that it would spark a retaliatory attack. The shooting of the leading criminal last month followed the murder of Noel Crawford (40), who was shot dead outside his family home in Southill.
His death was also believed to be linked to the feud.
