Pubdate: Mon, 18 Sep 2000
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Conor Keane

PROVOS MAY HAVE BEEN BEHIND ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON DRUG DEALER

Gardai believe the Provisional IRA were behind the failed assassination attempt on a Dublin drug dealer who has survived four gun attacks.

Martin ‘The Viper’ Foley, 50, escaped with his life after a hit man tried to kill him on Tuesday evening.

Foley, from Cashel Avenue, Crumlin, was leaving the swimming pool in Terenure on Tuesday night when two men pulled up on a motorbike.

He was hit three times in the legs, before his assailants escaped on the high powered bike towards Crumlin.

Initially, gardai regarded the attempt as am amateurish affair but now fear the Provisional IRA were behind the failed murder attempt.

Once the right hand man of Dublin crime lord Martin ‘the General’ Cahill, Foley has been involved in crime for most of his life.

Now under armed garda protection in St James’s Hospital, Foley is in a stable condition.

It is the fourth assassination attempt on Foley in the last five years.

One theory is that the same gang who tried to kill Foley’s partner in crime Seamus ‘Shavo’ Hogan a couple of months ago may be involved.

The Provos are also suspected of having wanted to have Hogan eliminated.

Foley has been expanding his drug sales area into border counties and it is understood that this did not sit well with the Provos.

Back in 1984 the Provos also tried to take Foley out but he was lucky to escape with his life.

It is understood the Provos farmed out the latest assassination attempt to ensure that no finger could be pointed in their direction given their ongoing ceasefire.

The Garda Press Office would not comment yesterday on media speculation that Foley was an informant. However, garda sources said it is inevitable that a career criminal like Foley would have traded information with gardai.

“The Viper did not get his nickname for nothing. He knew when to trade valuable information and struck in a way that almost always eliminated a rival criminal threat,” he said.

Foley’s luck in evading the assassin’s bullet has made him cocky resulting in him moving into border areas once supplied by Brendan ‘Speedy’ Fagan.

Fagan was shot dead by the PIRA in May of last year. The 22 year old Newry man had escaped an earlier attempt on his life.
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