EXCLUSIVE | 

‘Bomber Kavanagh is a rat’ – Former pal Peadar Keating blows lid on jailed cartel boss

Gangland boss’s associate furious after plans to give up guns to cops in a bid to secure a shorter sentence backfires badly

Nicola Tallant and Andrew Phelan

Yesterday at 07:30

Gangland hardman Peadar Keating branded his boss Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh a ‘rat’ this week after he was told he is wanted in the UK on gun conspiracy charges.

Keating, who is serving an 11-year prison term in Portlaoise, is wanted by the National Crime Agency as part of new charges brought against Kavanagh, his son Jack and Liam Byrne, who is fighting extradition in Spain.

Keating has been implicated in a bizarre case which has backfired on Kavanagh after he tried to give up guns to authorities in order to lessen his own sentence for drug trafficking.

He was brought to the High Court in Dublin for an extradition hearing this week, accused of conspiring to possess firearms and helping jailed Kavanagh beat a gun rap.

The State is seeking to extradite the 42-year-old to face the charges over the alleged plot to assist Kavanagh to reduce his 21-year jail term for masterminding a drug smuggling operation.