THE HARD QUESTIONS 

Seven questions mob boss Daniel Kinahan should answer in latest ‘world exclusive’ PR stunt to boost image

• Crime Editor

• 8:00, 5 Mar 2022

MOB boss Daniel Kinahan has once again embarked on another PR ­exercise to boost his image.

This time comedian James English revealed this week how he would soon be posting a “world exclusive” interview with Christy ‘The Dapper Don’ Kinahan’s eldest son online.

The YouTube interview comes after cartel chief Kinahan went on the ­offensive in 2020 by claiming that he was just “a legitimate businessman” in a series of statements made by his highly-priced legal team.

The statements were made after an online book was published about the Kinahan-Hutch feud, a song about the mayhem was produced by ­rapper J Spades and a short film was produced about the killing of David Byrne at Dublin’s Regency Hotel.

Ahead of Kinahan’s latest media appearance, the Irish Sun today asks funnyman English to consider these questions for his latest guest

1 – Are the Irish courts wrong to refer to you as the “controller and ­manager” of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group?

This statement was made when the Criminal Assets Bureau swooped on Kinahan’s associate Liam Byrne under Operation Lamp in 2016.

After seizing Byrne’s home and 23 vehicles, the Criminal Assets Bureau presented its findings to the High Court.

During the case, Byrne’s associates were identified by the Bureau.

As part of their conclusions, CAB established that Byrne was a “trusted associate” of Kinahan and part of the overall Kinahan network.

2 – Why do courts refer to ‘the Kinahan Organised Crime Group’ if you are just a legitimate businessman?

During the trial of Mark Capper for the attempted hit on Patsy Hutch, Dublin’s ­Special Criminal Court heard how the Kinahan Organised Crime Group engages in ­“execution style murders” and also “traffics drugs on an international scale”.

It was the first time the Kinahan cartel had been mentioned in court by name.

The court also heard how the group operates a “hierarchical structure” and sub-cells of ­contract killers.

3 – Why was Moroccan crime boss ­Naoufal Fassih found at one of your apartments in April 2016?

If Kinahan is just a legitimate businessman, as he likes to claim, why would he have links to one of Amsterdam’s most senior gangland figures?

Fassih had been run from the Dutch authorities but was caught when gardai under ‘Operation Thistle’ swooped on an apartment in Dublin’s ­Baggot Street.

Gardai believe Fassih had been supported in Ireland because of his close ties to Kinahan. He was later ­extradited to the Netherlands and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence for directing the activities of an organised crime gang.

4 – Why did you stand alongside convicted killer ‘Fat’ Freddie Thompson at the funeral of David Byrne?

Fat Freddie Thompson is one of Kinahan’s closest pals.

But as Thompson continues to serve his life sentence for the murder of ­Daithi Douglas in 2016, his old friend continues to live the high life in Dubai.

Kinahan claims in a number of statements to be a businessman.

5 – Why won’t you return to Ireland if you’re just a legitimate businessman?

But he remains a “person of interest” in three ongoing Garda inquiries.

Cops are ­continuing their investigations at the mob and the 44-year-old could be hit with a directing the activities of an organised crime gang charge.

Kinahan has remained in sunny Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates — whic­h has no extradition treaty with ­Ireland — since 2016.

6 – Are you the person named as ‘D’ in the investigation into the attempted murder of Gary Hanley?

In 2017, Kinahan’s close friend Liam Brannigan was tasked with arranging the murder of Gary Hanley.

But his gang’s every move was recorded by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

During one recorded chat, Brannigan said: “D said to take our time. Don’t worry it will get done. So long as everyone stays safe.”

7 – Does you have any idea why you were arrested in Spain as part of Operation Shovel in May 2010?

Daniel was just one of a number of gang members arrested by Spanish cops on the Costa del Sol.

He was lifted after a ­Spanish police surveillance operation identified him as running the gang’s operations in southern Spain.