Three men who pleaded guilty to plotting a far-right terrorist attack against an Ahmadiyya place of worship (which they had most likely mistaken for a mosque) were at an advanced stage of preparation when they were arrested, an Irish court has heard.
The men planned to attack the “Maryam Mosque,” a religious site for local Ahmadis, on Monivea Road in Galway, using improvised explosive devices, including pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails, according to evidence presented to Ireland’s Special Criminal Court.
The three men – Garrett Pollock, 36, from Annalong in County Down; Darren Gorman, 34, from Portlaoise; and Karolis Peckauskas, 39, from Drogheda – pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in terrorist activity by trying to damage a mosque by fire between 4 and 5 November 2025.
The offence was aggravated by hatred of immigrants, particularly Muslim immigrants. Although the Ahmadiyya, also known as the Qadianis, are not recognised as Muslims in the Islamic world, they self-identify as “Ahmadiyya Muslims” in the West, and sometimes are targeted by Islamophobes who assume they are Muslims.
A similar phenomena sometimes affects Sikh communities as Islamophobic violence is sometimes directed at Sikhs due to misidentification by the attacker.
The case has raised serious concerns about the threat posed by far-right extremism, anti-immigrant propaganda and online radicalisation.
The plot was uncovered after Gardaí, Ireland’s police service, stopped a car carrying Pollock and Peckauskas during a routine drug stop in Portlaoise. A search uncovered bomb-making equipment, knives, masks, tactical clothing and other items, alongside a manifesto for a group calling itself the Irish Defence Army. Investigators also found a statement recorded in advance that claimed responsibility for the planned bombing.
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Pollock separately pleaded guilty to possessing an explosive substance after four glass jars containing the material were discovered in a concealed compartment in his van.
The court heard that the group had communicated through a Signal chat called Shadows of Eire, where members discussed their plans and shared information about constructing improvised explosive devices. In a video recorded before the planned attack, masked men in tactical clothing stood in front of an Irish flag and threatened further violence against mosques and accommodation for people seeking international protection.
Detective Inspector Alan McDevitt described the Irish Defence Army as a violent, right-wing extremist organisation and a splinter of the online Irish Citizens Army.
Online radicalisation
During mitigation hearings, lawyers for Pollock and Gorman said their clients had been influenced by extremist online material but had since distanced themselves from those influences.
Pollock’s solicitor told the court that his client had consumed large amounts of online content portraying immigrants as a threat to Irish society.
Some of the material appeared to be AI-generated, emotive and ill-informed, the court heard. His defence also cited substance misuse, personal difficulties and low self-esteem, while saying he was deeply ashamed and apologised to those affected.
Gorman’s solicitor described him as vulnerable and said he had no previous history of violence, aggression or hatred. The defence acknowledged his involvement in the group’s activities, including sourcing an accelerant, buying clothing and offering financial support.
Peckauskas had previously apologised to Ireland’s Ahmadiyya community, with his defence saying he had been influenced by online groups and conspiracy theories.
The Maryam Mosque, serves a Ahmadiyya community in a densely populated area and has an attached community centre. It was built in 2014 and has around 300 to 500 members.
