Three men face sentencing over foiled Galway mosque bomb plot

Two of three men who planned to bomb a Galway mosque told a court they were radicalised by anti-immigrant online groups. Sentencing was adjourned to October 13.

Galway mosque bomb plotters claim online radicalisation ahead of sentencing

Two men who conspired to attack a mosque in Galway using improvised explosive devices told a three-judge court they had been drawn into extremism by anti-immigrant groups online, irishexaminer.com reports.

Garrett Pollock, 36, of Kilhorne Greene, Annalong, Co Down, and Darren Gorman, 34, of O'Moore Place, Portlaoise, Co Laois, both entered pleas in mitigation at the hearing. A third defendant, Karolis Peckauskas, 39, of Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, had already offered an apology earlier in the week, telling the court he too had been radicalised through online groups.

All three previously pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in a terrorist activity or a terrorist-linked activity. The charge relates to an attempt between November 4 and 5, 2025, to set fire to the Maryam Mosque at Old Cottages, Monivea Road, Galway — an offence aggravated by hatred.

Plot foiled during routine drug stop

The court previously heard that the plot was disrupted when gardaí conducting a routine drug stop grew suspicious of the car carrying Pollock and Peckauskas. A search of the boot uncovered bomb-making equipment and a manifesto for a group calling itself the Irish Defence Army, bearing crests and logos. Investigators also found a statement written in the past tense claiming responsibility for bombing the mosque.

Pollock: alcohol, cocaine and radical content online

Barrister Kevin White, representing Pollock, told the court his client is "deeply ashamed" of his conduct and apologises "unreservedly" to all those affected.

A psychiatric report, sought by defence counsel to understand how Pollock — a man with no history of violence or political activism — came to face terrorism charges, found that he had experienced a dysfunctional childhood and struggled in school. He had worked as a gym instructor until 2024, when a relationship breakdown led him to abuse alcohol and cocaine and lose his job.

Pollock then began spending long hours consuming radical content online, including material alleging that immigrants were committing sexual assaults or posed a threat to Irish communities. Much of that content, Mr White said, appeared to be AI-generated, emotive and ill-informed.

He started communicating with people associated with a radical anti-immigrant group called the Irish Citizens' Army, before being invited into smaller, more radicalised circles where he found a sense of belonging and respect, and sought to demonstrate his commitment to the cause.

Gorman: "extreme submissiveness" and drug addiction

Barrister Marc Thompson, representing Gorman, said a psychologist had diagnosed his client with "extreme submissiveness" and found him to be a vulnerable individual with no history of violence, aggression or hatred — and "certainly no history of terrorism."

The same psychological assessment found Gorman to be at low risk of future violence, though that risk rises to moderate or high should he re-encounter radical influences or relapse into substance misuse. Thompson described his client as a drug addict with mental health difficulties who has nonetheless remained drug-free throughout the period on bail ahead of sentencing.

Gorman has had no contact with radical groups since his arrest, Thompson said, and counsel asked the court to structure any custodial sentence "to allow light at the end of the tunnel."

Sentencing adjourned to October

Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Kevin Staunton, adjourned sentencing for all three men until October 13. The court remanded Pollock, Gorman and Peckauskas in custody until that date.

Source: Irish Independent