An Estonian man who admitted conspiring to murder a man linked to the Hutch crime gang in Northern Ireland last year bought a wig in Dublin city centre and used an encrypted Blackberry phone, a sentencing hearing at the Special Criminal Court has heard.
Imre Arakas, 59, with an address in Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, admitted conspiring with others not before the courts to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between 3 and 4 April last year.
He was arrested as part of the garda investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan feud after he flew to Dublin from Alicante in Spain and was put under surveillance.
Gardaí had received information from Europol, the Spanish and Estonian police.
The court heard Arakas had been identified as a person of interest with links to senior gang members in Dubai and Spain.
He will be sentenced next month.
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Detective Inspector David Gallagher told the court that Arakas walked around the city centre, bought a wig and a mirror in Moore Street and was picked up in Summerhill by a white Mercedes van.
He was taken to a house in Blakestown, west Dublin, where he spent the night.
The driver of the van, the court heard, had been stopped two months earlier and found with a tracking device that had previously been deployed on a relative of Mr Gately’s car.
Armed gardaí raided the house the next morning and found pieces of paper with Estonian writing "James Gately" an address in Newry and "8th row 2nd picture visible".
The court was told a "quick thinking" garda also photographed a thread of messages on a Blackberry before they were remotely deleted as gardaí were looking at them.
The court heard that Arakas was "a contracted hitman" brought in to murder Mr Gately.
Det Insp Gallagher told the court that Arakas had planned to go to the location the next day.
"It could be just one shot to the head from distance," Arakas said in a text, "a silencer would be good and it would be very good if the 'dog' (gun) be accurate".
The court also heard logistical planning had already been made for the murder.
A van brought in from Birmingham was used by other gang members to put a tracking device in Mr Gately's car.
Arakas was also sent on the encrypted chat group details of his apartment in Northern Ireland, his driving habits and where he always parked. He was also told he tracker would warn him of Mr Gately's arrival.
He also texted he knew of a trick to prevent a front door closing so he could follow Mr Gately down the corridor.
He was concerned there was "nowhere to hide".
Arakas will be sentenced on the 12 December.
