Four men to stand trial in connection with attempted terrorist attack on Mosque

Fiona Magennis

Four men are to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court charged in connection with a plot to carry out a terrorist attack on a mosque in Galway last November.

The four accused - Darren Gorman (33), O’Moore Place, Portlaoise Co Laois; Charles Flynn (35), Castlerock Avenue, Castleconnell, Co Limerick; Garrett Pollock (35), Kilhorne Greene, Annalong, Co Down; and Karolis Peckauskas (38), Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth - are all charged with attempting to engage in a terrorist activity or a terrorist-linked activity to damage by fire Maryam Mosque, Old Cottages, Monivea Road, Galway intending to damage or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged, an offence which was aggravated by hatred, between November 4th and 5th, 2025.

Peckauskas and Pollock are also accused of having two hatchets, a knuckle duster and a hunting knife in a silver BMW at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on November 4th 2025, contrary to Section 9 (5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.

Peckauskas and Pollock are further charged with possession an explosive substance - four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide - under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that they did not have it in their possession for a lawful object at O’Moore Place on November 4th that year.

Pollock is also charged with having in his possession an explosive substance - EMCG1 - a glass jar with a metal lid, a cloth fuse, matches and tape in addition to EMCG5-EMCG10 liquids and white clumped powders, all containing hydrocarbon fire accelerants, namely petrol, under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he didn’t have it in his possession for a lawful object at An Tobar, Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth on the same date.

A State solicitor on Friday made an ex-parte application (where only one side is represented) on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have the four accused tried before the Special Criminal Court, with the charges having been sent forward from the District Court last month.

Justice Patrick McGrath, presiding, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Fiona Lydon, made the order in respect of each of the accused and adjourned the matter to May 11th.

He directed that the defendants be produced in person on that date.