Patrick O'Connell

that in that in this that arson attack that claimed two lives again it had its origins in something that you know happens every day in prisons around the country the suspicion is there was an altercation and involving a number of prisoners inside in the middlelands prison and that a phone call was then made um and that phone call gave the order essentially for revenge to be taken on on on this inmate and it was his family home that was set on fire and the arson attack

So, I mean, you're looking... I didn't know that detail.

A number of prisoners have been arrested by Garda investigating that incident.

And also you had a number of people outside the prison...

who had their home searched, and that investigation is very, very active.

Oh, in that case, there's two people dead, so absolutely, that is 100% a murder investigation, a double murder investigation.

But like, I mean, you know, these arson attacks are becoming so common now.

In late November,

We had an incident out in Clondalkin where a young woman, Alexi Campion, answered the door of her house and had an accelerator sprayed on her and was set on fire.

And she is still in hospital with absolutely devastating injuries and is still in there.

And we do know that arson attacks have been used.

I mean, they have been used commonly by gangs who are involved in drug dealing to inflict fear and terror in the community.

I mean, we know that the Hennessy mob in Blanchardstown, that arson was a weapon of choice for them.

You know, it is such an effective way to intimidate your rivals that you show, you know, that you're willing to set fire to a house in which innocent people belonging to that person are living.

it's hard to know when it comes to things like this.

I mean, last year was the first year in, I don't know how many years, that we didn't have a gangland shooting in this country.

But it seems to be that what has replaced the shootings is these arson attacks.

And they are causing...

every bit as much damage and trauma in communities i mean you you look at the fact that a four-year-old boy is dead you know because of one of these arson attacks and it it's it's difficult like i mean we've been we've been covering crime for a very very long time um and you know four-year-old children should not you know they they they should not you know be

Yeah, off the top of my head, I can't remember who said it, but he said, you think we're bad.