A former soldier has admitted being part of a conspiracy to murder a man in Northern Ireland.

Imre Arakas from Tallinn in Estonia was arrested in Dublin last year by Gardaí investigating the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

The 59-year-old former soldier was arrested on the morning of Apr 4th last year when armed Gardaí burst into a house in Blakestown in west Dublin.

He had arrived in Dublin two days before his arrest.

A surveillance operation was put in place after gardaí investigating the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which at the time had claimed ten lives and would go on to claim eight more, received intelligence that he was coming to Ireland.

Before the Special Criminal Court today, Mr Arakas pleaded guilty to conspiring with others – not before the courts – to murder a man called James Gately in Northern Ireland.

It is understood Mr Gately has links to the Hutch family and a number of attempts have already been made on his life.

Mr Arakas was further remanded in custody this afternoon and is due back in court at the end of the month for his sentence hearing.