Four men remanded in custody over alleged plot to attack a mosque in Co Galway
Eoin Reynolds
Lawyers for four men accused of a terrorist plot to attack a Galway mosque have indicated that there is "potential for progress" ahead of their trials.
The Director of Public Prosecutions this morning served papers on each of the four explaining that their trials will be heard before the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court.
The four accused are 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.
They are each 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 4 that year.
Pollock is also charged with possessing an explosive substance 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.
Lawyers for each accused today told the court that there is "potential for progress" when they come before the court again next month.
Justice Patrick McGrath, presiding, remanded each accused until that date.
