Far-right 'plotted to kill Leo Varadkar' and ex-soldier was intended shooter

Gardai foiled a far right plot to assassinate Leo Varadkar when he was serving as Tanaiste, it can be revealed today.

An Irish Mirror investigation has established that Garda bosses reinstated a full armed security detail when officers learned of the plot against him in early 2022.

“The plot was real and it was advanced,” a source told us last night - and said it was the biggest threat to an Irish politician in decades.

We have established that a gang of far right extremists were in the process of procuring firearms for the murder bid when gardai became aware of their plot - and moved to increase security around Mr Varadkar.

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We have also learned that the far right gang behind the plot included a former soldier - who was the planned shooter. Sources say that man is not a former Irish Defence Forces soldier - but was a one time member of an elite foreign military outfit.

The plot was uncovered when he was acting as Tanaiste, months after he had handed over leadership of the State to then Taoiseach Micheal Martin in a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail power sharing deal that saw each party have the top job for half of the proposed five year agreement.

Mr Varadkar had a team of armed Garda Special Detective Unit detectives - known as a detail - when he was Taoiseach, but that was then cut down to one SDU officer when he was Tanaiste. But sources close to Mr Varadkar last night confirmed to The Irish Mirror that his SDU detail was suddenly reinstated in early 2022 - and we have been told that it was because of the imminent murder threat against him.

We have also established that Mr Varadkar - who declined to comment when contacted by us last night - was personally briefed by senior gardai about the threat posed to him by the former foreign military fighter.

“He was briefed about that man,” a source said last night.

When contacted, Deputy Varadkar told us: “On Garda advice, I cannot comment on security matters.”

We also asked gardai for comment - but they declined.

Sources, however, told us that gardai acted swiftly when news of the plot emerged. Garda HQ redeployed the armed team to protect Mr Varadkar - and sources say that terrified the gang involved into abandoning their plan.

“They realised there was extra protection on (Mr Varadkar) and that spooked them. It was enough to end it,” one source said.

As well as increasing his armed escort, Garda bosses also introduced more security around Mr Varadkar’s home in south central Dublin. Our sources also said the plot was taken extremely seriously by national security bosses at Garda HQ.

News of the plot comes a day after we revealed that gardai were currently reviewing security for the entire cabinet - and it would likely protection for the senior politicians would be doubled. At present, each of the 15 cabinet members is provided with one protection officer from the armed SDU. That officer doubles up as both a bodyguard and a driver of the ministerial state car.

But that process is now being examined by a high level Garda review. Sources said the most likely outcome would be a doubling of the ministerial protection. That would mean two SDU officers accompanying the minister - one as a driver and the other as a fully devoted bodyguard. Sources told us the practice of having a bodyguard acting as a driver was against international best practice.

The review of ministerial security comes amid increased fears in policing and political circles that a politician in Ireland may soon be attacked. Sources say officers are especially concerned about a so-called lone wolf incident - where one person carries out an attack.

Garda management was so concerned about increased threats against politicians that in late 2022 it decided to reinstate armed protection for the entire cabinet.

For decades each cabinet member had an armed bodyguard, but that was stopped during the financial crisis in 2011. Armed officers were only kept for the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, Minister for Justice and Attorney General. But all 15 had their armed protection restored in late 2022.

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