A MAN who was murdered near his inner city Dublin home on Sunday night may have been lured to his death by a gang of youths.

Last night five teenagers, including a girl, were being questioned by detectives about the shooting that has shocked the nation because of the age of the attackers.

Among those being held is a 13-year-old boy, who is already out on bail in relation to a separate offence. The killer used a 9mm handgun, which has not yet been found.

Victim Aidan O'Kane (50) was shot once in the stomach as he chased youngsters, who had thrown eggs at the front door of his home at Shelmalier Road in the East Wall area of the north inner city.

The prime suspect for the shooting, a 15-year-old, is also in custody. He is well known to gardai and has made several court appearances in the past.

Gardai believe at least 10 youths were in the area at the time and say they are part of a group involving up to 16 teenagers.

Mr O'Kane, a self-employed mechanic, was at home with his 25-year-old son, Dylan, and a friend at around 7pm when the eggs were hurled at the front of his house.

He chased the youths down Shelmalier Road and through a laneway leading on to Bargy Road. At the end of the laneway, one of the youths produced a handgun and shot him before making his escape.

Last night detectives were trying to establish if the man had been lured into an ambush in the laneway for a pre-planned shooting, or if he was the innocent victim of a spur of the moment act.

They confirmed he had been subjected to a campaign of harassment. On Saturday, gardai called to his house after he made a complaint that youths had set fire to a wheel of his car.

Neighbours said there had been other incidents in which youths intimidated Mr O'Kane in recent weeks and they believed he had been targeted because he had been friendly with locals and often mended bicycles and motorcycles.

Early yesterday gardai arrested a 13-year-old. Three other boys, aged 15, 16 and 18, were also detained. They were all taken to the murder investigation headquarters at Store Street station for questioning.

A 19-year-old girl was also arrested and taken to Mountjoy station. Four are being held on suspicion of withholding information about a crime and the 15-year-old for suspected illegal possession of a firearm.

Gardai were trying to find out who had supplied the handgun and whether the killer had been carrying it earlier or had hidden it in the laneway.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Al McHugh, who is heading the investigation, appealed to parents whose children might have arrived home "in a distressed state" on Sunday night to contact the gardai at Store Street station (tel 01 6668089).

He asked local parents to find out where their children had been between 6pm and 8pm on Sunday and whether any of them had witnessed or heard details of this "traumatic incident".

Commissioner McHugh added : "There has already been a good response from people in the East Wall area and we want to build on that. There is a good relationship between the gardai and the local community there".

Problems

He said there had been some public order problems in the area but it was no different to inner city areas elsewhere.

An officer pointed out that there were 30 dedicated community gardai in the Store Street area and said they were operating an unique case management programme in which gardai kept in contact with youngsters, who had fallen foul of the law in an effort to divert them from a life of crime and prevent repeat offences.

He said there had been a remarkably good success rate of over 50pc so far in the district.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen last night described the murder as an "appalling tragedy" and an "outrage". He said it was particularly appalling that those suspected of being involved were very young.

Offering his sympathy to the O'Kane family, Mr Cowen said the incident reinforced the correctness of the decision by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern last month to take licensed handguns out of circulation.

Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Diarmuid Martin, said the possibility that very young people were in possession of and used a firearm was an ominous development in the serious problem of violence in Dublin city.

He added : "It would leave an entire community with a new sense of insecurity".

Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan called on the Government to introduce a six-month operation to take guns and knives off the streets and advocated tougher penalties for firearms offences.

- Tom Brady Security Editor