THE reasons for the latest Dublin gangland killing were still unclear yesterday. Gardai are drawing together intelligence leads on the latest disputes in the Dublin underworld where Gerry Lee was a prominent figure.
Lee's name was on a "hit list" supplied to a Dublin newspaper two weeks ago by republican vigilantes operating from the south inner city. But it is also possible Lee had crossed one of his own criminal associates.
His killing, like those of seven other Dublin criminal figures in the past year, have been characterised by a senior Garda as "thieves killing thieves".
Lee died after a night's drinking and revelry to celebrate his 31st birthday. He was a dangerous criminal, an armed robber by trade who had graduated to medium scale drug dealer. "We'll hardly be doing a month's mind for him," one officer said.
Lee's first major crime took place when he and other members of a north inner Dublin gang robbed a Securicor van of more than £1 million in cash at Marino in February 1986. The gang was led by the man, now in his mid 30s, who is nicknamed "the Monk".
Lee and the Monk grew up together in the north inner city and had begun their criminal trade as "ram raiders", driving stolen cars into shop windows and then speeding away in another vehicle.
The Monk was in his mid 20s when he planned and carried out the Marino raid. Despite his youth, he was a highly professional and ruthless criminal.
Shortly after, gardai believe, the Monk shot dead another criminal, Mel Cox (50), at Blanchardstown after Cox had attacked him in a pub.
The Monk, and possibly Lee, were also believed responsible for shooting dead Patrick McDonald (41), a former INLA member who had also taken part in the Marino robbery.
Another associate of the Monk, Patrick Shanahan, was shot dead outside a south Dublin health club in October 1994.
Lee is the latest in a line of the criminal's former friends to meet this fate.
Like the Monk, Lee is believed to, have been using money from robberies to finance drug trafficking.
The Monk is believed to be financing large scale drug deals from the Continent to Dublin. Money from the 1986 Marino raid, the £2.7 million raid at the AIB cash holding centre in Waterford in January 1992 and last year's £3 million raid on the cash centre at Santry is believed to have gone into financing drug deals.
His money is believed to have part financed two of the largest drugs shipments seized by gardai the £20 million cannabis shipment captured at Dublin docks in April last year and the £130 million drug shipment seized at Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, last November.
Despite his involvement in financing much of the drugs trade in the city, the Monk and his associates have manufactured reputations for opposing drug dealing. This has allowed them to win support among inner city residents, some of whom regard them as latter day Robin Hoods, gardai say.
The profits from the drugs trade make it much more profitable than bank raids, and the gang only resorts to armed robbery when it has cash flow problems, gardai believe.
Profits are also at the root of arguments over money among drugs traffickers, and the immediate suspicion among gardai was that Lee's death was probably a result of an argument over drug trafficking.