A VlGILANTE group including members of the IRA is believed to have been responsible for the attack in Dublin on Jason Conlon, the 17-year-old Cabra youth whose ear was severed by a gang of masked men.
The gang, armed with two handguns and a sledgehammer, assaulted Jason for 15 minutes at his home in Leix Road, Cabra, on Monday night, before cutting off part of his ear with a knife.
He was in "comfortable" condition in hospital last night, after an operation to reattach the part of his ear, and set a broken arm.
The gang of five men arrived at the Conlon home at about 10.30 pm. on Monday. When the door was answered by Jason's sister, Caroline (15), they forced their way in and tied her to a chair in the kitchen.
The gang, all of whom wore balaclavas and gloves, were armed with a sledgehammer, a pistol and a revolver and carried a radio scanner. They asked Caroline where her brother was, and she told them he was at Mountjoy Garda station making a statement about a traffic accident.
When Jason returned he was attacked by the gang. They broke one arm and severed part of his ear with a knife. Some of his clothing was torn off and the gang poured white paint from a tin over his body.
Gardai said the gang attempted Northern Ireland accents but at least some had strong Dublin accents. The leader, who put on his balaclava as he entered the house, appeared to be in his 5Os.
When the gang left, Caroline freed herself, ran to a neighbour's house and called an ambulance. Jason was taken to the Mater Hospital. The severed part of his ear was reattached by a plastic surgeon yesterday.
Garda sources said that, while anti-drug vigilantes were apparently involved, they knew of nothing which would link the victim to drugs.
Asked about the attack, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, said she "would just urge communities to work alongside the gardai and give the gardai whatever information they have".
Mr Paul Quinn, chairman of Cabra Communities Against Drugs, said he "wouldn't condone anything like that", and the organisation had no involvement in it.