Two men arrested as part of the investigation into the Limerick gangland murder of Kieran Keane are members of one of the families involved in a bitter feud.
The men were arrested in the Kileely area of Limerick city on Saturday night. Both were being questioned by detectives last night at Henry Street and Roxboro Garda stations, under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
A third man, arrested in Thurles, Co Tipperary, on Saturday was released last night without charge. A woman detained in Thurles on Friday was released yesterday without charge, but another woman was arrested last night in the Limerick area.
A total of 19 people have now been arrested as part of the investigation into the Kieran Keane murder and related incidents. The gang leader was shot dead in an "execution syle" killing on January 29th. His nephew, Mr Owen Treacy, narrowly survived death in a frenzied knife attack. The weekend arrests in Thurles followed a major Garda operation last Thursday in which three men and a woman were arrested in a raid of houses in the area. All four were brought to Limerick city for questioning. They were released without charge on Saturday, but gardaí are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
It is understood the four were questioned about the alleged abduction of the brothers Kieran and Eddie Ryan on January 29th last. They were also questioned about other criminal activities in the Limerick area.
Following their arrests, four houses were sealed off in Thurles and forensic examinations carried out by gardaí.
Separately, three men from Limerick were released from Naas Garda station yesterday after they were arrested in Co Kildare on Friday evening.
No charges were made, but a file is also being prepared for the DPP.
It is believed the three - who have connections to the Keane family - were found in possession of suspected explosive materials.