Gardaí are appealing for witnesses of a suspected hate-based attack in west Dublin in February when a senior Muslim cleric was subjected to an assault during which he lost consciousness.
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chief imam of Islamic Centre Ireland and chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, was hospitalised on February 15th after he was attacked in what he described as a “deliberate hate crime attack”.
He sustained facial injuries and damaged teeth and spent one night in hospital.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, gardaí appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident on February 15th in Kilcarrig Green, Tallaght, to come forward. They also called on anyone with camera footage from the area at the time of the attack to contact gardaí.
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The Garda statement noted a man in his forties had been “approached and assaulted by two males”.
“The assailants fled on foot after the attack. Although the victim required medical attention, his injuries were not life-threatening.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Serious Crime Unit at Tallaght Garda station at 01 6666000, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Dr Al-Qadri described the incident as a “planned attack” because he had arranged to meet two people in the area but was instead attacked.
Earlier this month, Dr Al-Qadri announced his candidacy in the Dublin constituency for the European Parliament elections in June.
The cleric, who has a track record in speaking out against extremism and terrorism, said he planned to run as an independent candidate and would campaign on issues such as affordable living, “sensible immigration”, helping small businesses, and peace-building in Gaza and Ukraine.
Dr Al-Qadri also said he would bring a “fresh perspective” and a dedication to serving the best interests of Dublin’s diverse populace.
This article was amended on Tuesday, May 7th
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