Gardaí yesterday released without charge a man arrested last week in connection with the shooting dead in Clontarf of 27-year-old drug dealer Noel Roche. A file on the case may be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Garda technical experts are continuing to examine a handgun and other items found in a vehicle abandoned near the scene of last Tuesday's shooting.
However, the released man, thought to be the driver of the vehicle in which Mr Roche was travelling when he was shot by passing assailants, refused to co-operate with detectives. He was discharged from custody at 4pm yesterday.
This has prompted fears that another attempt on his life may be made in the next few days, or that further retaliatory attacks may occur as part of an ongoing gangland feud between two south Dublin drug gangs. Mr Roche's murder was believed to be in reprisal for the fatal shootings of Darren Geoghegan and Gavin Byrne in the Firhouse area of the city last weekend.
One senior garda said: "Gardaí tried to give him some crime prevention and security advice before he was released, but he point blank refused to listen. He did not co-operate at all and stayed silent for the whole time."
Gardaí are continuing to monitor the movements of several of the major figures in the two gangs, with a view to ensuring no further attacks take place.
The handgun was discovered in a beige Peugeot 307 car found abandoned in the Furry Park area of Killester. Two men were reported to have been seen running from the vehicle just four minutes after the attack, which took place at around 10.30 pm last Tuesday.
Other items of clothing, thought to include a balaclava, were also found in the car and are being subjected to forensic tests. Gardaí are also anxious to trace the movements of the car since it was stolen three weeks ago.
The man released yesterday was originally arrested last Thursday under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. He did not give himself up, but had earlier contacted gardaí through his solicitor with a pre-prepared statement which indicated he had not seen anything during the attack.
On Saturday, gardaí sought and were granted a 24 hour extension in court. The court heard that in nearly 11 hours of questioning, the detainee had refused to answer a single question.
So far, seven people, including Mr Roche's brother, John, have died in the gangland feud. This prompted Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy to allocate an extra 50 officers last Wednesday to tackle organised crime in the Dublin area.