Two men have pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to terror offences over a plot to set fire to a mosque in Galway last year.
Darren Gorman and Garrett Pollock both pleaded guilty on Monday to attempting to engage in a terrorist activity or a terrorist-linked activity to damage by fire Maryam Mosque at Old Cottages, Monivea Road, Galway, intending to damage or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged between November 4th and 5th, 2025.
The indictment described it as “an offence which was aggravated by hatred”.
The charge under the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 is the sole count on the indictment preferred against 34-year-old Gorman, who has an address at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise, Co Laois.
RM Block
Pollock (35), from Kilhorne Greene, Annalong, Co Down, is further charged with the possession of two hatchets, a knuckle duster and a hunting knife in a silver BMW at O’Moore Place on November 4th, 2025, contrary to Section 9 (5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.
He is further charged with possession of 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 he did not have it in his possession for a lawful object at O’Moore Place on November 4th 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.
The matter has been put back to June 29th, when the men are to appear by video-link.
Their two co-accused, Charles Flynn (35) of Castlerock Avenue, Castleconnel, Co Limerick, and Karolis Peckauskas (38) of Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, are also to be produced on the same date.
