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Gardaí fear feud after arson attack on car of gangland murder victim’s female relative

The woman was previously threatened by the gang who carried out the fatal shooting after she spoke out against the murder.

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Gardaí are investigating an arson attack in which a car owned by an innocent female relative of a gangland murder victim was destroyed at her home.

The BMW was owned by a woman related to father-of-two John Gibson (28), who was shot dead in Tallaght six years ago.

The woman was previously threatened by the gang who carried out the fatal shooting after she spoke out against the murder.

She moved away from her home in the Lucan area of Dublin following the shooting and now lives in the Hollystown area of west Dublin with her partner.

It was at this property that her vehicle was destroyed in the driveway at around 2am on Wednesday last week.

The fire also caused significant smoke damage to the house.

The incident is being investigated by gardaí in Blanchardstown, who have made no arrests to date.

It is understood two males were seen acting suspiciously in the area following the arson attack.

The woman has no involvement in crime and has previously called for all those involved in Gibson’s murder to be brought to justice.

The gang responsible for the shooting in September 2017 are connected to jailed gangster Peader Keating (42), who gardaí suspect has been ordering violent acts from behind bars in Portlaoise Prison.

Keating’s gang has been involved in a long-running feud with associates of Clondalkin gunman James ‘Nellie’ Walsh (36), to whom John Gibson had close links.

“The arson attack on that innocent woman’s car in Hollystown could well be related to the very close relationship she had with John Gibson, who was a sworn enemy of Keating’s crew,” a source said.

There are now fears the feud is spreading out of Clondalkin.

Last month, a separate arson attack was carried out on an innocent family’s home in an attempt to get at Walsh. The property, in the Buirg an Rí cul-de-sac in Balgaddy, was set alight at 1.30am on Friday, September 8.

There were four people inside at the time. Three members of the family managed to escape, but a woman in her 50s had to be rescued by gardaí after she became trapped in an upstairs bedroom.

Days earlier, Walsh, who has survived gun attacks as part of the feud, shared posts on TikTok in which threats were made against Keating.

Keating is serving an 11-year prison sentence for directing the activities of a Kinahan cartel cell in a plot to murder Hutch associate James ‘Mago’ Gately in 2017.

Walsh was released from prison in July last year after serving a 10-year sentence for a botched hit on gang rival Michael Frazer.

Last December, Walsh survived an assassination attempt in a Carlow estate.

Six weeks earlier, he had survived a machine gun attack in Tallaght.

The investigation into Gibson’s murder remains open.

In July 2021, the High Court refused an application by Gibson’s partner Marlene Walsh to freeze more than €92,000 in bank balances and cash and it was declared the proceeds of crime.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens said: “John Gibson was a drug dealer who was involved in organised crime in west Dublin.

“While his convictions were minor, garda intelligence associated him with significant drugs-related activity and with major criminals.”

Investigations of Gibson’s financial affairs disclosed “no plausible legitimate source” for the money seized.