Islamic Centre to remain closed following alleged 'distressing' incident

Sarah Slater

The Islamic Centre of Ireland in Clonskeagh is to remain closed following an alleged “distressing” incident in which alleged attempts were made to “forcibly take control of the premises” last Saturday.

Management at the ICCI have issued an update on their official website and social media accounts saying the closure would continue after a decision was made by the “newly” appointed Board of Directors as a “preventive measure” to ensure the safety and security of the property, staff, children and members of the public.

The centre is a central meeting point for more than 80,000 muslims in Ireland which also houses a mosque and Muslim school.

The statement outlines that on Saturday, April 19th the ICCI Board had scheduled a closed-door meeting specifically for the parents of children enrolled at the Quranic School to discuss school-related matters.

“However, attempts were made to disrupt the meeting and transform it into an open community gathering at an incorrect venue,” the statement said.

Despite a formal clarification being issued on the morning of Saturday, 19 April, confirming that the meeting was with the parents of students enrolled at the Quranic School.

The statement continued: “Despite this, there was a coordinated effort to instigate chaos, intimidate and harass parents, and obstruct their entry to the scheduled meeting, which also led to physical assault on a staff (member) and the Board.”

The alleged physical assault resulted in a “heightened security situation, creating an unsafe environment for our Board Member, staff, parents, the general public, and young people in attendance”.

Following the incident, the statement noted, “…and in light of credible information received by the Board regarding planned protests, including potential attempts to breach the centre’s gates and forcibly take control of the premises—the Board determined that maintaining security would be impossible if the Centre remained open.”

Centre management said that they remain concerned about ongoing safety risks, particularly given reports that further protests may be organised, which they call “intent to incite individuals to breach the gates and forcibly occupy ICCI premises.”

The newly appointed Board, having recently taken charge, has also raised serious concerns regarding financial irregularities and governance failures at the ICCI. An internal review was underway, and an internal auditor had been appointed to assist with this process.

“As part of this effort, the management requested financial records and other relevant documents from the Principal and Deputy Principal of the Quranic School. However, they refused to comply, unlawfully withheld ICCI property, and removed sensitive records without authorisation,” the statement added.

The centre will remain closed as it undertakes a full review of its security posture. The Board is also conducting a comprehensive audit to address and remedy the legal, financial, and governance issues it has inherited.

The ICCI said that gardai are monitoring the campus.