A man suspected of a stabbing attack in Dublin Airport at the weekend has been in hospital since his arrest as he broke bones in his lower leg during the incident outside Terminal 1.
The alleged attacker, who is in his 50s, has not yet been properly questioned by detectives. However, he remains in Garda custody and was being guarded by members of the force while in hospital.
He is due to be taken to a Garda station to be questioned when he is deemed well enough to be discharged. He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows for a suspect for be interviewed for up to 24 hours without charge.
However, if that 24-hour period of questioning is suspended, or cannot commence, for any reason, it is paused and can be resumed. That means the 24-hour questioning time frame can unfold over several days.
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The Irish Times understands the suspect, an African man who has lived in the Republic for over a decade, broke bones in his foot or ankle during the violent incident at about 11.30am on Sunday. He is alleged to have stabbed another man, also in his 50s, multiple times in a random attack outside the Terminal 1.
While the victim was wounded in the neck and abdomen, the weapon used was a penknife and the victim’s injuries were never regarded as life threatening. The victim has since made significant progress in his recovery. He was not known to his attacker, who appeared to lash out in a random manner.
Gardaí are trying to establish if the suspect was aggrieved because of a dispute he was having with State agencies over social welfare payments or other benefits. However, the precise motive for the attack has still not been established.
No evidence has emerged to suggest it was terror-related, though gardaí were continuing to check the suspect’s activities in Ireland and his background in his country of origin as part of the investigation into the violent incident. The suspect had never come to the attention of the Garda as a safety or security threat during his many years living in the Republic.
Members of the Airport Police were on the scene almost immediately after the attack occurred at around 11.30am on Sunday. After the suspect had been held at the scene by the Airport Police he was then taken into custody by gardaí. While the Garda initially said he was being questioned at a north Dublin Garda station, he was taken to hospital on Sunday afternoon and has remained there.
The scene of the attack at the airport was sealed off for a period on Sunday and was examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. The area is well covered by CCTV and footage was being gathered for examination by investigating gardaí at Dublin Airport Garda station. Although the scene was closed for a time, and part of an access road leading to the terminal was closed to facilitate gardaí and paramedics, there was no impact on flights.
It is understood members of the Airport Police were on the scene within about 90 seconds, detaining the suspect immediately before gardaí arrived and arrested him. Airport Fire Service paramedics attended to the victim of the incident before he was taken to hospital.
Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, confirmed gardaí and other emergency services had responded to “a public order incident outside Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport” on Sunday. They added a man in his 50s had been hospital within a number of non-life-threatening injuries and a suspect, also in his 50s, was arrested.
