Two still held over Saulite murder

Gardaí are continuing to question two men today who they believe have vital information about the killing of Latvian mother-of-two Baiba Saulite

The men, who are both from Lebanon, were arrested by detectives at addresses in the north and west Dublin suburbs of Raheny and Blanchardstown at 7.30am yesterday.

They can be held for a total of 72 hours from that time, a Garda spokeswoman said. They are being held at Malahide and Coolock Garda stations under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

Garda sources last night told The Irish Times that the men in custody, who are both in their late twenties, are not suspected of direct involvement in Ms Saulite's murder on Sunday, November 19th.

However, gardaí believe they have worked very closely with a suspect in the case in recent years and they believe both men have information about how the killing was organised and the identity of the gunman.

Ms Saulite was shot dead as she smoked a cigarette in the hallway of her home in Holywell Square, Feltrim Road, Swords, Co Dublin. She had two young sons Ali-Alexsandra (5) and Mohamed Rami (3).

Both were asleep in the house when their mother was shot dead. She was buried in her native Riga last weekend.

Her estranged husband, Hassan Hassan (38), was refused bail to attend the funeral and look after the two boys.

The Lebanese national is currently in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, where he is serving four years for his role in an organised crime gang exporting stolen luxury cars to the eastern European market.