Manchester businessman Dermot Craven has said this morning he is "totally innocent" of any wrongdoing and has "no connection" with suspected IRA chief Thomas "Slab" Murphy.
Speaking at a press conference in Manchester this morning, Mr Craven (44) said he and business partner Brian Gerald Pepper (31) had been "unjustly vilified" by an investigation by Britain's Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) and had therefore taken the "unusual step" of holding a press conference.
Dermot Craven
The ARA and the Criminal Assets Bureau in the Republic carried out raids in Manchester and Dundalk last Thursday in an operation they said was aimed at damaging the suspected multi-million pound empire of the IRA's alleged chief of staff Mr Thomas 'Slab' Murphy.
Among the properties searched was that of the Craven Group, which is run by Mr Craven. His home and the home of Mr Pepper, who gives a number of addresses, including Britannia Road, Sale, Cheshire, and addresses in Dundalk, Co Louth, were searched.
"I have never met this man [Thomas 'Slab' Murphy], spoken to him or carried out any business dealings with him.
"There is no connection with Thomas Murphy." He said, however, Mr Murphy's brother, Frank Murphy was a client, although he had not known of the connection with the alleged IRA leader until the raids last Thursday.
Mr Craven said seven rented houses in the Manchester area, with a total value of approximately £700,000, had been purchased with the assistance of the Craven group and were now managed by the group on behalf of Sailor Property Ltd, a company owned by Frank Murphy.
Mr Craven's solicitor told reporters the media had been manipulated. "We believe that you gentlemen and ladies have been manipulated by the Assets Recovery Agency." He said it was "common knowledge" that the ARA have "not been a very successful".
