Three men arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after mum injured in horror arson attack in Clondalkin
Three men, including an adult teenager, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder by gardai investigating an arson attack in Clondalkin that left a young mum fighting for her life.The teen as well as the two men, both aged in their 30s, are currently being quizzed in Garda stations in Dublin.They were arrested this morning, following searches carried out at 19 properties in the Clondalkin and Ballyfermot areas.Gardai say these searches are “ongoing at this time”Alexis Lee Campion suffered horrific facial injuries in the attempted murder in Clondalkin on November 25 last when she answered the front door of her home and was set alight.She was burnt from her face to her knees in the disgusting attack and additionally suffered burns to her feet.The investigation continues to be led by the Serious Crime Unit South, DMR West Garda Division under a Senior Investigation Officer based from an incident room at Clondalkin Garda Station.Read moreFears grow for life of innocent mum injured in horror arson attack in Clondalkin Over 100 members of An Garda Síochána including Serious Crime South Units, Clondalkin, Uniform Gardaí DMR West, DMR West Divisional Search units, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Armed Support Unit and Garda Dog Unit are involved in this morning’s high intensity Policing Operation.“This high intensity Policing Operation, supporting the investigation into the serious assault, is taking place under the auspices of Operation Fógra intended to disrupt drugs related intimidation and the sale and supply of controlled drugs,” a Garda spokesperson said.Operation Fógra is An Garda Síochána’s response in the DMR to Drug-Related Intimidation (DRI) as part of the Garda National Strategy under Operation Tara.Operation Fógra was launched to combat drug-related intimidation which has been identified as a major source of community harm and fear in the DMR and is a sinister motive for various forms of criminality.The operation has two underpinning pillars including a harm reduction victim-centred approach and an information-enabled policing informing operational responses.The objectives of Operation Fógra are to support communities, increase frontline awareness of DRI and enhance collaboration.We previously reported how gardai have found no evidence to uncover the alleged motive for the savage attack – a gangland claim that a specific amount of drugs owned by a local crime gang had been stolen.The scene of the arson attack “This was attempted murder, a targeted attack – Ms Campion and her partner were accused of something that no one has found any evidence to back up,” a source told Crime World.“That poor woman remains in a critical condition – her life is destroyed,” the source added.Her partner is career criminal Francis Maguire (49), who is understood not to have visited her in hospital and has only provided limited information to investigators.Crime Wrap Tuesday March 24 Detectives believe the woman was targeted immediately after answering the door to her home with a suspect throwing accelerant at her face and body before setting her alight.Mr Maguire also suffered burn injuries while attempting to put out the flames that engulfed the woman.They were both rushed to Tallaght Hospital but have since been transferred to St James Hospital, which has a specialist burns unit.Detectives have been investigating if Maguire was the main target of the shocking attack.A chronic drug user, Dublin Circuit Court heard in 2021 that he had 25 previous convictions at the time including for burglary.It is understood that he had been battling drug addiction which may be linked to the brutal attack that happened at their home.The woman is a mother to a number of children who were not present in the property when the incident took place.In December, gardai embarked on a series of co-ordinated searches in which armed officers raided eight homes across west Dublin as part of the investigation.No arrests were made in that phase of the probe but a gangland enforcer aged in his 30s was one of the main targets.A number of mobile phones that were seized will be analysed in an effort to uncover any evidence of the organisation of the attack, or anything that could help identify those involved.The main suspect is originally from north Dublin and has served lengthy prison terms.He was previously involved in a feud and was investigated over the violent death of a man, though he was not convicted of any homicide offence in relation to that incident.Read moreClondalkin councillor calls for counselling for locals ‘traumatised’ by firebombing and murder-suicide Other suspects in the case include senior members of the Ballyfermot drugs gang, who are suspected of organising the arson attack.One home searched was that of a convicted heroin dealer in his late 40s.The gang has been linked to several murders and has been operating for over three decades, but cannot be named because its leader is currently facing serious charges before the courts.Associates of a Clondalkin gang who have been targeted by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) were also targeted in the raids after gardaí received information that they owned the drugs at the centre of the horror attack.
