Saeid Khosroabadi Denied Bail for Dublin Mosque Arson, Cited Hatred of Islam

Saeid Khosroabadi, 41, an Iranian national from Dublin 1, was denied bail by Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Wednesday following an alleged arson attack on the Faizan E Madinah Mosque on Talbot Street. Khosroabadi, a self-described anti-Islam activist, is charged with arson causing criminal damage, an offense punishable by a 10-year sentence.

During garda interviews, Khosroabadi allegedly stated he was proud of his actions and disappointed the mosque did not burn down. He reportedly expressed hatred for Islam, calling its followers «dirty people» and stating he did not care if children died in the fire. He cited a 2019 New Zealand terrorist attack as a «beautiful act» and claimed Muslims have no right to spread their ideology or Sharia law in Ireland, which he called a Christian country. His reply to the charge was, «I tried to set a mosque on fire, that is what I did, yes.»

Witnesses reported a male pouring accelerant on the mosque's front door and setting it alight. CCTV footage corroborated this. Emergency services evacuated the premises and nearby Department of Education offices; no injuries were reported, but traffic was disrupted. Khosroabadi told gardaí he was triggered by a news story about a burned mosque in Galway. He was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on July 8. The case will be sent to the Circuit Court due to its wider sentencing powers.