A Lithuanian man was refused bail at Portlaoise District Court after gardai testified that a terrorist attack on a mosque in Galway was imminent. Karolis Peckauskas, 38, of Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, County Louth, faces one charge of possession of an explosive substance in Portlaoise on November 4.
Detective Garda Joseph Fahy told the court on Thursday that gardai had seized pipe caps, six litres of hydrogen peroxide, plumbers' putty and manifesto documents from a car registered to Peckauskas. The detective testified: «We fully believe an attack was imminent.» Examination of seized devices indicated planning by a right-wing violent extremist grouping.
Video Evidence Shown in Court
The court viewed a video recovered from a co-accused's phone showing four men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas standing in front of a tricolour. The group identified themselves as the Irish Defence Army (IDA) and claimed responsibility for actions that «resulted in the destruction» of the first mosque in Ireland, located in County Galway. Judge Andrew Cody described the footage as «a practice of a statement being released subsequent to a successful terrorist attack,» noting the figures appeared «laughing and joking» at times.
The group warned in the video that those facilitating International Protection Accommodation Service centres, mosques and hotels housing migrants would be targeted. Judge Cody conveyed the group's message, stating: «They say that this will not be their last attack.» The IDA described their approach as «an eye for an eye.»
Defence barrister Niall Storan objected to the video being shown, arguing it was «manifestly inadmissible.» However, Judge Cody allowed it to be played after journalists and members of the public left the courtroom, ruling the evidence was «reasonably considered necessary.» The judge found the gardai's belief that Peckauskas was one of the four men in the video to be «well founded.»
Peckauskas, a Lithuanian national who has been in Ireland since 2006, was remanded in custody for four weeks until December 11. He will appear via videolink at Portlaoise District Court. A translator was used by Peckauskas throughout the proceedings. The investigation is described as a cross-border inquiry into far-right extremism.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
