Four Men to Stand Trial for Galway Mosque Terror Plot in November 2025
Four men will stand trial at the Special Criminal Court for a plot to commit a terrorist attack on Maryam Mosque in Galway in November 2025. Darren Gorman, Charles Flynn, Garrett Pollock, and Karolis Peckauskas face charges including attempting to damage the mosque by fire, with additional weapons and explosives charges for Pollock and Peckauskas. The trial is set for May 11.
Four men will stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court, charged in connection with a plot to carry out a terrorist attack on Maryam Mosque in Galway between November 4 and 5, 2025.
The accused are Darren Gorman (33) of Portlaoise, Charles Flynn (35) of Castleconnell, Garrett Pollock (35) of Annalong, and Karolis Peckauskas (38) of Drogheda. They are all charged with attempting to engage in terrorist activity to damage the mosque by fire, an offense aggravated by hatred.
Peckauskas and Pollock face additional charges for possessing two hatchets, a knuckle duster, and a hunting knife in a silver BMW in Portlaoise on November 4, 2025. They are also accused of possessing an explosive substance (four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide) without lawful object at the same location and date.
Pollock is further charged with possessing an explosive substance (EMCG1, EMCG5-EMCG10 liquids, and white clumped powders containing hydrocarbon fire accelerants like petrol) without lawful object in Drogheda on November 4, 2025. The Director of Public Prosecutions applied for the trial at the Special Criminal Court, and Mr Justice Patrick McGrath, with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Fiona Lydon, ordered the defendants to appear in person on May 11.