Mystery money | 

Mystery surrounds €357,000 cash found in double murderer Yousef Palani’s home

Terror links ruled out as 23-year-old jailed for hate-fuelled targeting of gay men

Sligo Superintendent Barry Doyle said Michael Snee and Aidan Moffit were “innocent men who did no wrong”

Today at 04:30

Mystery surrounds the origin of €357,000 in cash found hidden in the home of double murderer Yousef Palani.

The money was discovered by gardaí during a five-day search of the killer’s Sligo home after his arrest for the murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in April of last year, as well as a brutal assault on Anthony Burke.

It can be revealed that most of the money was in denominations of €500 and €200 banknotes and found hidden in bags in the “cluttered” bedrooms of 23-year-old Palani’s home.

The Sunday World previously revealed the cash seizure is the focus of an ongoing Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) investigation.

One line of inquiry is that the money came into Ireland when Palani’s family first arrived here from Iraq.

As part of their investigation, officers were at the time searching for a mobile phone – which was later found in an attic of the property – and had no idea there was so much cash in the house.

It was established that this phone had been present in the homes of the targeted men and important evidence was discovered on it.

Gardaí do not accept an explanation that the money was saved over a number of years.

Officers also do not think that the money is linked to Islamist extremism or jihadism.

4:04

Relatives of murdered Michael Snee and Aidan Moffitt pay tribute to men as Yousef Palani is jailed for two life sentences

“In relation to theories that the money is linked to any form of terrorism or organised criminality, this has been ruled out,” a senior source said last night.

“Detailed investigations have been carried out, including by specialist units, and gardaí are satisfied that neither he nor his associates have any links to Islamist terrorism and he was not radicalised at the time of the murders.”

The 23-year-old was sentenced yesterday to the mandatory term for the murders of Mr Moffitt and Mr Snee, who were killed in their own homes two days apart.

Palani was also handed a concurrent sentence of 20 years for causing serious harm to Mr Burke by stabbing him in his left eye with a kitchen knife.

Gardaí believe that Palani, who had plans to murder other gay men that included a “kill list” of around a dozen other potential victims, is himself homosexual.

The Central Criminal Court yesterday was told how Palani had been motivated by his hatred of homosexual men.

The sentencing hearing heard that while Palani told gardaí that his religion forbade homosexuality, investigators were satisfied that he was not radicalised.

Palani told gardaí in interviews that Muslims could not be homosexual and vehemently denied being gay, despite using homosexual dating apps.

A number of other gay men with whom Palani interacted were warned by gardaí of the potential threats against them and given security advice.

“Many investigators involved in this case are of the view that this individual should never be released from prison when the potential for that comes up in less than 20 years’ time. There are significant fears that he would kill again if given the opportunity,” a source said.

Palani – whose murderous spree, according to sources, displayed “serial killer tendencies” – was totally unknown to gardaí before April of last year.

He had moved to Ireland from the Middle East with his family when he was aged six and had grown up in Sligo without ever coming to the attention of gardaí.

Detective Garda Conor Jordan, of Sligo Garda Station, agreed with Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, yesterday, that Palani’s motivation to carry out the murders was as a result of his “hostility and prejudice” towards homosexual men.

He said the garda view was that Palani had also “certainly exaggerated” and/or made up claims about his mental health and that a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity was not warranted.

The first murder victim, Mr Moffitt, had been decapitated in his home. He had also suffered 42 stab wounds. ­Gardaí noted his two hands had been tied behind his back.

Mr Snee was also found tied up on the floor of his bedroom.

A hunting knife and a black coloured knife had been laid on the bed to make the shape of a cross, the court was told.

There were 38 sharp-force injuries to Mr Snee’s body and he had been stabbed 25 times.

A third man, Anthony Burke, survived the attack but lost sight in one eye.

Palani had met his victims on two dating apps targeted at gay, bisexual and transgender people.

CCTV played a huge part in the arrest of the double killer, but gardaí also received great support from the Muslim community in Sligo as part of their investigation as well as help from survivor Anthony Burke.

Speaking after the hearing, Sligo superintendent Barry Doyle said the murders of Mr Snee and Mr Moffitt “did not just impact the heart of the community in Sligo, they also repulsed the nation”.