Concern for Polish deaths inquiry

ONE OF Dublin's largest Polish institutions has expressed concern about the progress of the investigation into the two men who were stabbed to death outside a chip shop in Drimnagh.

In a statement, the board of the Dublin Polish Information and Culture Centre said the release of all those questioned so far about the deaths of Pawel Kalite and Marius Szwajkos "may provide those very people with an opportunity to prepare similar lines of defence or worse still, with a chance to threaten anyone who gave evidence against them".

Gardaí have not charged anybody with the murders despite an extensive investigation which has seen the arrest of four teenagers.

A 14-year-old girl from Crumlin was released yesterday after questioning. Gardaí said they would not be preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to her.

Gardaí have also arrested three other teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 19, and files have been prepared for the DPP. It is believed gardaí are not satisfied they are getting all the co-operation they should get from potential witnesses.

The centre is organising a discussion in its headquarters at midday today involving immigrant groups, the gardaí and the wider community. It will discuss relations between the Irish and immigrant communities following the deaths of the two men.

Meanwhile, the organiser of the fund to help the families of the deceased has said that two anonymous donors have emerged - an undertaker who has agreed to prepare the bodies for return to Poland and another man who has agreed to pay transportation costs.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times