Nadine Osman
Irish authorities have charged two men in connection with an alleged plot by a violent far-right extremist group to carry out attacks on a mosque in Galway and on accommodation centres for migrants across the country.
The charges follow a cross-border counter-terrorism operation between Ireland’s Gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Explosive materials were seized during coordinated searches conducted in County Laois and County Down on November 4.
Garrett Pollock, 35, of Annalong, County Down, and Karolis Peckauskas, 38, of Drogheda, County Louth, appeared before Portlaoise District Court on November 7. Both men were charged with possession of explosive substances, while Pollock faces an additional charge related to alleged possession of bomb-making components and incendiary materials at his home in Northern Ireland.
At Portlaoise District Court on November 7, Garrett Pollock, 35, of Annalong, County Down, and Karolis Peckauskas, 38, of Drogheda, County Louth, appeared in connection with the case. (Credit: Andreas F. Borchert/Wikmedia CC)
Detective Garda Declan O’Connor of the Special Detective Unit told the court that evidence included a video recording of four masked men declaring plans to attack what they called “Ireland’s first mosque” in Galway, as well as hotels and reception centres housing migrants. The video, believed to have been filmed at a house in Portlaoise earlier in the week, was discovered on a device seized from Pollock’s residence. Gardaí said they believe the recording was a rehearsal and had not been publicly distributed.
A document described as a “manifesto” outlining the group’s extremist ideology was also recovered during the searches. In the video, the masked men claimed responsibility for what they described as an attack on the Galway mosque and threatened further violence, calling their campaign “an eye for an eye.” They accused the Irish government of allowing what they portrayed as a “hostile takeover” by migrants.
Judge Andrew Cody, who viewed the video in a closed court session, said it appeared to be a “practice statement” intended for release after a terrorist attack. He refused bail for Pollock, citing the seriousness of the charges, the risk of flight, and the potential threat to public safety.
Peckauskas, who required an interpreter in court, made no application for bail and was also remanded in custody. When charged, he reportedly told officers, “I do not understand.”
Investigations continue into what police believe is a nascent far-right extremist network operating across the island of Ireland.
(Feature photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
