Far-right men jailed over plot to bomb Ahmadiyya site in Galway

DUBLIN — Three men were sentenced on Friday, October 30, at Ireland's Special Criminal Court in Dublin over a plot to firebomb an Ahmadiyya worship site in Galway, according to the outlet 5Pillars.

5Pillars reported that the men pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in terrorist activity. The target was the Maryam Mosque on Monivea Road, and the attempt took place between November 4 and 5, 2025, the outlet said. It said the men had most likely mistaken the site for a mosque.

Sentences

According to 5Pillars, Garrett Pollock, 35, from Annalong in County Down, received 10-and-a-half years, with the final year suspended. Darren Gorman, 34, from Portlaoise in County Laois, and Karolis Peckauskas, 39, from Drogheda in County Louth, each received eight years, with the final year suspended.

The outlet said the offence was aggravated by hatred of immigrants, particularly Muslim immigrants. Pollock also pleaded guilty to possessing an explosive substance. 5Pillars said it was found in four glass jars hidden in a purpose-built compartment in his van.

The group

5Pillars reported that the men belonged to a self-styled organisation called the Irish Defence Army. Gardaí described it in court as a violent far-right extremist group, the outlet said. It reportedly had a name, insignia, manifesto and oath of allegiance. Members communicated through a Signal group called "Shadows of Eire."

The outlet said evidence presented to the court showed the group first considered petrol bombs. It then settled on pipe bombs, which members believed would do more damage and have a larger public impact.

According to 5Pillars, the plan was to break into a mosque, throw explosive devices inside and leave. The group would then destroy the weapons and vehicle used. The outlet said it had identified entry and exit points and discussed each member's role.

Investigators recovered knives, hatchets, sledgehammers, balaclavas, tactical clothing and chemicals, 5Pillars reported. The court heard some of the materials could be used to make improvised explosive devices.

Video and arrests

The outlet said the men filmed a video claiming responsibility before the attack. It showed four masked men in tactical clothing in front of an Irish flag. According to 5Pillars, they threatened further attacks on mosques, accommodation centres for asylum seekers, hotels and people involved in facilitating immigration. They also warned that Galway would not be the last attack, the outlet said.

5Pillars reported that the plot came to light when Gardaí carrying out what were described as random drug searches stopped a vehicle in November 2025. Pollock and Peckauskas were travelling in it. Officers found explosive materials and other items linked to the group, the outlet said. The men were then arrested and evidence of the planned attack was uncovered.

The investigation involved cooperation between Gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, according to 5Pillars. The court heard that investigators believed preparations were at an advanced stage. They did not know exactly when the attack was due, the outlet said.

Background

5Pillars said the Ahmadiyya, also known as Qadianis, are not recognised as Muslims in much of the Islamic world. It said they describe themselves as "Ahmadiyya Muslims" in the West. The outlet said they are sometimes targeted by people who hold Islamophobic views and assume they are Muslims.

It added that Sikh communities can be affected in a similar way, when Islamophobic violence is directed at them through misidentification.

The source text provided ends before the end of the article. This report relies solely on 5Pillars, and its account of the court proceedings has not been independently confirmed here.