Gardai ‘now hunting more than 150 suspects over Dublin riots’

Gardai are considering releasing images of suspects they have no names for

Gardai now have 150 people in their sights for prosecution over the Dublin riots – and are working to formally identify them.

The Irish Mirror has learned that a special unit set up to catch the thugs involved in the riots in the capital last November have amassed almost 20,000 hours of CCTV to help track the suspects down.

We have established that gardaí probing the November 23 disturbances have a hitlist of at least 150 suspects they have isolated on camera being involved in rioting, looting, arson and assault attacks.

And, even though many of them hid their faces during the spree of violence that shocked the nation and made headlines around the world, sources say officers are close to having names for them.

“There are more than suspects and work is underway in identifying them,” a source said.

It’s understood gardaí in the special incident room at Store Station in the city centre have names for dozens of suspects already and are working to confirm those identities.

The suspects have been nominated by other gardaí – who say they recognise them from some of the footage taken on the day.

Gardaí are now working to match the nominations – to prove to the courts that the suspects are who they believe they are.

“You can have nominations, but you have to prove it beyond reasonable doubt,” a source said.

“Work is under way on that. There have been nominations all right, but others are still unidentified.

“They are from all over Dublin and beyond – not just the north inner city.”

And insiders say officers are now confident that many of the suspects will be arrested, charged – and convicted.

We have confirmed that gardaí have garnered around 18,000 hours of CCTV from the day of the riots – which erupted after three kids and a worker were stabbed outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire on the city’s Parnell Square East at around 1.30pm on November 23.

The violence lasted more than two hours and damage ran into millions of euro – including an arson attack on a LUAS tram at the height of the trouble.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris ordered a probe into the violence and the team at Store Street has been gathering evidence ever since.

Sources say that includes around 18,000 hours of CCTV footage from all over the city before, during and after the violence.

Officers are using the footage to identify suspects – even though most of them hid their faces when they were involved.

Sources say the CCTV is being used to track the suspects on the day of the attacks.

Although they hid their faces in the attacks, they went unmasked before and after the incidents and gardai have that footage.

They are examining the clothing the suspects wore in the attacks and then trawling for footage of them before or after the attacks – in which their faces are visible.

We have also established that gardai are considering releasing images of suspects they have no names for.

That would mean officers publishing pictures of the unidentified suspects – and asking for members of the public to name them.

The Irish Mirror previously revealed that some of the rioters have already been shopped by their own families and friends.

Detectives were being inundated with calls from associates of the rioters who were horrified by their actions.

Gardaí are continuing to appeal for anyone with information on the rioters to contact them.

They have set up a special email address – store.street.public@garda.ie – that people can send their contact details to.

The Garda investigation team can also be contacted at Store Street Garda station at 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.