Pubdate: Sat, 15 Jul 2000
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Isabel Conway

YUGOSLAV GANGSTER CLAIMS HE KILLED DEREK DUNNE

A Yugoslav gangster has told Dutch police that he fired the shots
which killed Irish drugs dealer, Derek "Maradona" Dunne in Amsterdam
early last month.

The murder suspect has apparently claimed, during police
interrogation, that he fired in self defence, hitting 33 year old
Dunne. The 31 year old Dutch based member of a notorious Yugoslav
drugs gang, together with a second Yugoslav man and a 26 year old
Dutchman, were picked up in recent days and have been remanded in custody.

One is charged with murder while the other two face hostage taking,
extortion and drugs offences charges.

An Englishman arrested at the scene of the gun battle in which he was
injured outside Dunne's rented Amsterdam home was brought before
judges at a closed session here yesterday and remanded in custody for
a further 30 day period.

A fifth suspect, a Dutchman, severely wounded in the cross fire, is
said to be too ill to be interrogated.

Derek Dunne, an ex League of Ireland footballer, was to become one of
Ireland's most notorious drugs criminals. According to Garda sources,
he was suspected of trafficking at least 50 kilos of heroin and 1,000
kilos of cannabis into Ireland from his Dutch hide out on a weekly
basis.

Dutch police believe he was targeted because three of his English
associates, who lived not far from him in Amsterdam, could not pay off
their own drugs debts to Yugoslav suppliers and were forced to find
friends to bail them out.

"Two of these Englishmen were taken hostage shortly before a third was
forced at gunpoint to take the Yugoslavs to Derek Dunne's home and get
them money", explained Amsterdam Public Prosecutor's office spokesman,
Robert Molenbrook.

But then everything went wrong, Derek Dunne was furious at the
intrusion, ordered the callers to leave his home, a gun battle broke
out and within seconds he lay on the footpath outside dead, according
to statements taken from suspects and witnesses.

According to the Dutch police, one of the two Yugoslav suspects
arrested has confessed to carrying out the shooting and then fleeing
in the getaway car, leaving the Englishman and a Dutch accomplice
behind at the scene.
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