The Director of Public Prosecutions has upgraded the assault charge against a man accused of stabbing a garda, arson of Conor McGregor’s Black Forge Inn, and terrorist activity, in Dublin.
Abdullah Khan (23) appeared again at Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday for his seventh hearing since being charged on July 31st and has not yet applied for bail.
Mr Khan, with an address in north Dublin that cannot be disclosed due to a court order, was arrested at the scene following an incident at about 6pm on Capel Street in the north inner city on July 29th.
He was initially charged with assault causing harm to the officer under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and the production of a knife capable of causing serious injury. The injured garda was a young probationary member of the force who was on high-visibility patrol with a colleague and received hospital treatment.
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However, on Wednesday, that charge was withdrawn and replaced with a more severe allegation under section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act for causing serious harm to the garda, which, on conviction, can be punishable by a life sentence.
Det Sgt Liam McLoughlin said the accused made no reply when the new charge was put to him. He was remanded in custody to appear again next Wednesday as prosecutors complete a book of evidence.
The DPP has directed that Mr Khan be tried in the nonjury Special Criminal Court, which is reserved for terrorism or organised crime-related offences.
Last month, he was also charged with endangerment of life and attempted assault of a second garda at Capel Street on July 29th. Sgt Eamonn O’Neill of the Special Detective Unit also charged him with three other offences, including criminal damage in connection with a fire at McGregor’s Black Forge Inn, on the Drimnagh Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, on July 25th.
The other two were under section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences Act), 2005, for engaging in terrorist activity or terrorist-linked activity, during the alleged arson on July 25th and the knife attack four days later.
Det Sgt O’Neill had said, “The DPP directed that it is to proceed on indictment and the matter is to be forwarded to the Special Criminal Court”.
He added, “One of the charges is directly related to the previous charges, and the others are a separate but related incident.”
He also thought that all the charges would be in a single book of evidence.
The accused has yet to indicate a plea.
Reporting restrictions on Mr Khan’s address have been continued for public safety reasons, “and the safety of other persons not related to this”.
