In a secretly recorded conversation between Gerry Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall, 'The Monk' can be heard telling his car journey travel companion Dowdall that the Kinahans are about power as well as money.
The recording is being played in Mr Hutch’s trial for the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016.
This conversation was recorded a few weeks after the Regency Hotel attack.
The prosecution claims it took place as former Sinn Féin councillor, Jonathan Dowdall, drove Gerry Hutch to and from a meeting in Northern Ireland with his Republican contacts.
Dowdall’s jeep was under Garda surveillance and today, the judges heard the secretly recorded conversation between them as they made their way home.
During a general chat about the Mr Hutch said for them it wasn’t just about the money.
“It’s about power as well. They want to be the biggest gang in Europe,” he said, with "all the Colombians and all, everyone coming to them."
Mr Hutch also said the funeral of Kinahan gang member David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel and which was attended by Daniel Kinahan, Freddie Thompson, Declan Brady and other leaders and senior gang figures, "shows what they really are".
Dowdall said that a lot of people have already "walked away" from the Kinahans and that "if I was in that game I wouldn’t have anything to do with them".
"I wouldn’t want anything to do with them," Mr Hutch replied.
"Yeah, ye'd get f***ing nicked," Dowdall said..
Mr Hutch expressed concern about any proposed meeting with the Kinahan which may have been viewed at alleviating the tensions that existed between the warring clans at that point.
"You wouldn’t know with them, you know," he said, apparently referring to the dissident republicans, "they could be playing both sides of the coin."
"They gonna put this to bed on both sides," Dowdall said.
"Well they have to be careful," Mr Hutch said.
"Get that outta your head," Dowdall said to him, "they wouldn’t do that, not a chance."
