Continuity IRA claims deadly Dublin shooting

The Continuity IRA reportedly claimed Byrne, 33, from Crumlin in Dublin, was singled out as a reprisal for the killing of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan in Dublin in September 2012.

As said by the officials, at the time of attack the hotel lobby was full of boxing fans who had gathered for the ceremonies for two weekend boxing competitions.

Fighters on the bill include Dublin boxer Jamie Kavanagh, who will fight for the WBO European lightweight title against Portuguese Antonio Joao Bento.

The attack was claimed by a man who said he was speaking on behalf of the Continuity IRA (CIRA), a small paramilitary splinter of the wider organization that fought for a united Ireland for much of the 20th century.

In a statement, a guy claiming to speak for the direction of the Continuity IRA said its members were responsible.

Another picture showed figures armed with handguns, one apparently wearing a wig, running from the scene which took place at the weigh-in for a “Clash of the Clans” boxing match.

It is believed one of the two injured men was shot in the chest, RTE reports.

Police expressed skepticism the Continuity IRA was involved in the incident, and indicated they believed it was part of an ongoing feud between Irish gangsters.

Irish republicans have denied they were behind the chilling AK47 attack on a Dublin hotel last week after earlier seeming to admit responsibility.

Checkpoints have been mounted across the city in fear of revenge attacks for one of the most brazen shootings the city’s ever seen.

Six people are being hunted in connection with that attack, three of whom wore outfits similar to a police SWAT team and were carrying assault rifles.

“This will not be an isolated incident”, a spokesman for the group told the BBC.

Box Nation had been scheduled to broadcast the fight from the National Stadium in Dublin on the Saturday night.

Two other victims were rushed to The Mater and Beaumont hospitals with what are suspected to be gunshot wounds.

“This (the claiming of responsibility) came in a statement given to me verbally…it came in the form of a source I would regard as credible”, he said.

Police have said that they suspect the killings to be related to organised crime, and justice minister Frances Fitzgerald described the events as a gang feud.

The bout was being promoted by Frank Warren and MGM Promotions, according to MGM, a Marbella-based gym run by Birmingham-born Irish boxer Matthew Macklin.