Men arrested in Laois on terrorist charges remanded in custody
Portlaoise Courthouse
TWO men appeared in court today charged with possession of explosives, after being arrested in Laois during a cross-border anti-terrorism operation.
The court was told the charges arise from a garda investigation into an alleged terrorist attack, being planned by a right-wing extremist group.
Karolis Peckauskas (38) of Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth and Garrett Pollock (35), from Kilhorne Green, Annalong, Co Down appeared before Judge Andrew Cody at Portlaoise District Court.
Detective Declan O’Connor from the Special Detective Unit said he arrested Mr Pollock and, when charged and cautioned, he made no reply.
Mr Pollock is charged with one count of possessing explosives at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on 5 November and one count of possessing explosives at an address at Kilhorne Green, Co Down on 6 November.
The court was told the search of Mr Pollock’s home was carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), following a request from the Garda.
Det. O’Connor alleged that a search at Mr Pollock’s address found “three externally threaded metal pipes, hexagonal metal end caps and lengths of green firework fuse”, which the detective described as “the components of three pipe bomb type improvised explosive devices”.
He also alleged that the accused possessed “four incendiary type improvised explosive devices with white dish cloth wicks”.
Det. O’Connor also alleged that Mr Pollock, while in O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on Tuesday 4 November, had in his possession “four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide ... under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that you did not have it in your possession for a lawful object”.
Detective Garda Joe Fahy from the Laois Drugs Unit told the court he arrested Mr Peckauskas and, when he was charged and cautioned, he said in reply: “I do not understand.” Mr Peckauskas was charged with knowingly having in his possession “an explosive substance” at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise.
The court heard that, on Tuesday 5 November at O’Moore Place in Portlaoise, Mr Peckauskas allegedly had 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 your possession for a lawful object”.
Anne Doyle BL, instructed by Barry Fitzgerlad solicitors, said her client was not seeking bail. Judge Cody remanded Mr Peckauskas in custody to appear before the court by video link on Thursday 13 November.
David Nugent BL, instructed by solicitor Aisling Moloney, said Mr Pollock was making an application for bail.
Opposing the application, Det. O’Connor told the court it was alleged Mr Pollock was “planning a terrorist attack on behalf of a right-wing extremist group”.
He said a video was discovered on a device examined as part of the investigation and captured four masked men, during the reading of a statement outlining their intentions to “take violent action”. He said that Mr Pollock allegedly admitted he had “created or produced” a document recovered which was described as a “manifesto” for the right-wing extremist group.
In making his decision on whether to grant bail, Judge Cody said the video recovered from the accused’s phone, which Detective Garda O’Connor said was taken at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise, was played and showed what appeared to be four men dressed in black, with a tricolour behind them.
The judge said: “They are all wearing balaclavas, although two of them remove their balaclavas towards the end of the video and another person, who it is alleged is the accused, has the balaclava loose around his eyes.”
Judge Cody said: “It is apparent that the video is a practice of a statement being released subsequent to a successful terrorist attack. Two of the participants, including the gentleman Detective Garda O’Connor believes to be the accused, read a prepared statement.
“In this statement, which is addressed to all citizens in the north and south of Ireland, they say that they are taking a moment to speak honestly and directly, recognising that everyone in the country has had enough of the poor treatment particularly of children, women and the elderly, who have been left homeless, starving cold and under threat due to the number of migrants that have been brought into the country by our government. They describe this as a threat to our sovereignty and could potentially be a hostile takeover.
“They then say that they accept responsibility for the action that has resulted in the destruction of the first mosque that was introduced in Ireland in Co Galway. They say that they accept this would have caused a lot of hurt, disappointment and destruction for foreign migrants, both the legal and illegal in the community, and that they do not care. They say that this will not be their last attack. They describe their philosophy as an eye for an eye.
“They say they intend to target IPAS centres, mosques and hotels housing migrants and that they would take this as far as necessary to achieve their goals and call on others to join them.” Judge Cody went on to deny the bail request and remanded Mr Pollock in custody to the Thursday 13 November sitting of Portlaoise District Court by video link.
