THE FAMILY of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan has said his funeral was “a fitting tribute to the best ideals of republicanism”.
In a statement last night, Ryan’s family described him as “an active Irish republican” who was “proud to be known as such and we are proud of him for being one”.
Ryan (32) was shot at Grange Lodge Avenue in Clongriffin, Dublin, close to his home on Monday last week just before 3.30pm.
The family was also critical of gardaí who they said “stood casually by” while photographers took pictures of Ryan lying on the ground at the scene of the shooting. They said, in their statement to RTÉ’s Prime Time, that they had made a formal complaint to the Garda Commissioner and to those media organisations that published the pictures.
“Alan’s murder must be fully investigated and those responsible brought to justice,” they added.
Meanwhile, a man who was with Ryan when he was shot has said the attack was rapid and well planned. Paul Stewart (22), from Sligo, said he was walking on a Dublin street with Ryan and Aaron Neilis when they were ambushed from behind by the killer. While Ryan was hit in the upper body and head and Mr Neilis wounded in the leg, Mr Stewart managed to take cover and he was not wounded.
He told RTÉ’s Liveline the gunman had opened fire indiscriminately and that both he and Mr Neilis were lucky to be alive.
“I think what it shows is the gunman had no concern for anyone who was a bystander,” he said. “He was out to just kill whoever he could as well as killing Alan . . . for the anti-drugs stance he had taken in the community.”
According to Garda sources Ryan was actively involved in extorting money from drugs gangs and gardaí believe it was his clashes with these groups that led to his death.
Mr Stewart said, “Alan had nearly 24 hours surveillance and yet his killers somehow managed to lose the gardaí.
“The gardaí took an extraordinary long time to arrive on the scene and when they did . . . they were mocking the fact that Alan had been killed.” He believed the estimated 15 minutes that had elapsed before gardaí arrived was too long.
The Garda press office said anyone with a complaint should contact the Garda Commissioner.
