The Irish Prison Service has purchased a bomb proof van ahead of Daniel Kinahan’s return to Ireland. 

The notorious gangland leader is expected to be extradited from Dubai in the coming weeks, having exhausted all legal appeals against his removal from the UAE. 

Once back in Ireland, his trial will attract global attention and necessitate a security operation more like those organised for a visiting head of state, rather than a criminal due a day in court. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, crime journalist Paul Williams said it was “not a coincidence” that the vehicle has been purchased ahead of Kinahan’s return, who he described as possibly Ireland’s “most dangerous and powerful criminal in history”. 

“It just underlines the fact that the authorities here are very aware of the threat and the increasing threat posed by organised crime,” he said. 

An Irish Prison Service van leaving the district court in Skibbereen. Picture by: Almay.com. 

Mr Williams said any escape by Kinahan from custody would require the “most elaborate operation”, but cannot be ruled out. 

“It would involve a huge amount of logistics and planning and firepower,” he said. 

“In fact, because you're taking on the Army Ranger Wing and the Emergency Response Unit, the only place you can affect an attempt to escape is when he's in transit in an armory vehicle, you would need the equivalent of a military special forces unit to do so. 

“No matter how powerful Kinahan is or his associates are, they would not, they don't have that logistical ability or the people - their organisation since 2016 has been wiped out in Ireland.” 

Mr Williams added that members of the Kinahan Cartel “would not qualify as professional people” as their main expertise is “going up and shooting an innocent man in the back of the head”. 

As such, they would struggle up against a professional organisation like An Garda Síochána and the Army Ranger Wing. 

Assassination?

Fears remain that Kinahan is at risk of assassination from the Hutch Organised Crime Gang; however, they too have lost manpower and capability in recent years. 

“The Hutch Organised Crime Gang do not have the sophistication, the firepower, the people or the ability to mount such an attack,” Mr Williams said. 

“It would be easier to try and assassinate him by firing an RPG from a distance at an armor-plated van. 

“But as we know that, as they will know, that's, it would be a useless thing to do - it would be futile because he's in an armored vehicle.” 

Despite this, both the Army and An Garda Síochána are “taking absolutely no chances” and are determined to ensure Kinahan has his day in court. 

“They're going to make sure this is going to be a perp walk like no other,” Mr Williams said. 

“They're going to make sure that he is absolutely airtight; put it this way, he won't have any sleepless nights in the cell worrying about assassination or harm coming to him because he's going to be well looked after.”

Overall, Mr Williams believes that the likelihood of an attempt to assassinate Kinahan or spring him is “very, very remote”. 

Main image: Daniel Kinahan.