The identities of the two men who evaded arrest after ramming a patrol car and firing shots at gardaí in Dublin at the weekend are known to the authorities.
The Garda authorities confirmed last night they are following a definite line of inquiry in their search for the two men, who were part of a four-man gang involved in a shoot-out with the gardaí in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The two other members of the gang, aged 18 and 22, were arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against State Act and detained in Sundrive Road and Kevin Street Garda stations.
Shortly before midnight on Saturday, two Kilmainham gardaí patrolling the Bluebell area of Inchicore, in the south-west of the city, noticed four men in a Datsun car acting suspiciously.
The gardaí followed the car and tried to stop it, but the driver rammed the patrol car several times.
One of the men aimed a pump-action shotgun at the patrol car and fired three shots, which hit the windscreen.
Neither of the gardaí was hit and continued to pursue the car.
Other cars and the Garda helicopter joined the pursuit.
The men eventually abandoned their car outside a block of flats on Bluebell Road and fled.
However, gardaí caught and arrested two of the men. The shotgun used in the incident was recovered and is undergoing technical examination.
