‘No intelligence’ linking Spain shootings to suspected gang feud, police say

There is “no intelligence” to suggest the deaths of two Scots in a Spanish bar are linked to recent criminal attacks in Scotland’s central belt, police have said.

The two men, understood to be Eddie Lyons Junior and Ross Monaghan, died after a gunman opened fire outside Monaghans Bar in Fuengirola, Malaga on Saturday.

The attack took place at around 11pm, when a car pulled up outside the bar and a masked man got out before opening fire on the two as they stood outside the venue.

The gunman then fled in the car, with both men dying at the scene.

In a statement released on Tuesday Police Scotland said the attack did not appear to be linked with a series of criminal acts by rival groups in Scotland, and that any speculation to that end was “not helpful” to the investigation.

The statement read: “The investigation into the fatal shootings in Fuengirola is being carried out by Spanish police.

“Police Scotland is supporting Spanish police where requested, however, at this time we have no officers deployed within Spain.

“There is currently no intelligence to suggest the deaths of these two men in Spain are linked to the recent criminal attacks in Scotland being investigated as part of Operation Portaledge.

“Any misinformation or speculation linking the events in Spain are not helpful to the ongoing investigations in either country.

“There is also nothing to suggest that the shooting in Fuengirola was planned from within Scotland.”

Operation Portaledge is investigating a suspected gang feud that has been linked with a number of shootings, firebombings and assaults in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas since March.

So far more than 40 people have been arrested in connection with the incidents.