Three Irishmen injured in a grenade attack in the Czech Republic were released from hospital last night, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed.
A spokeswoman said they were treated for minor injuries after a grenade exploded near them while they were sitting outside a cafe in Prague
"They were released yesterday evening, after they were hospitalised with minor injuries," the spokeswoman said. Staff from the Irish Embassy in Prague are assisting the three men, who were sitting outside a cafe at the time of the attack.
Police believe the attack in which 18 people - mostly foreign tourists - were hurt, appears to have been aimed at an Israeli casino owner whose father was murdered in the same place two years earlier.
Police and government officials said the blast was "a settling of scores in the underworld" aimed at Mr Assaf Abutbul, owner of the Royal Casino, in the heart of Prague 's historic centre.
An explosive device, likely to be a grenade, exploded under an armoured off-road vehicle owned by Mr Abutbul, whose father Felix was shot dead two years earlier. No one has been charged with the murder.
Police are investigating whether the two crimes are linked. "People had just got in the vehicle when an unknown man tried to throw an explosive device into it. However, it missed and instead landed under the car, where it exploded," police spokeswoman Ms Iva Knolova said.
Mr Abutbul was unhurt in the blast, which injured 18 bystanders including the three Irishmen, five Britons, two Americans, two Cypriots and one each from Bulgaria and Slovakia.
"We are investigating all leads, but at this point we have not found the person responsible for the attack," teh spokeswoman said.
Czech politicians said there would be an investigation into ensuring adequate security, especially near gambling sites.
"We will talk to the police and if they recommend any moves to help increase security, we will consider them," said Prague Deputy Mayor Rudolf Blazek.
Czech police have been on high alert for many months, fearing the country could be a target for a terrorist attack.
The ex-communist Czech Republic, a country of around 10 million people, has been a member of NATO since 1999. It sent around 90 troops to Iraq to join the US-led coalition there.