Northern Ireland trial sought by man facing explosives charge in Laois

A man who is accused of possessing explosive substances in Laois and Northern Ireland wants his trial held in the North. 

Garrett Pollock (35) of 12 Kilhorne Green, Annalong, Co Down is accused of possessing an explosive substance, to wit four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. 

He is further charged with possessing “three externally threaded metal pipes, hexagonal metal end caps and lengths of green firework fuse (which) are the components of three pipe bomb type improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and four incendiary type improvised explosive devices (IEDS) with white dish cloth wicks” at his address contrary to Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1883 on November 5, 2025. 

He appeared before Portlaoise District Court via video link represented by David Nugent BL. 

Mr Nugent said his client was consenting to be remanded in custody for four weeks. 

“Mr Pollock is going to exercise his right to have these matters tried in Northern Ireland,” Mr Nugent told Judge Andrew Cody.

“There will be a process. There will be an order made,” he added. 

Noting the man had consented to an adjournment, Judge Andrew Cody remanded him in custody to appear again via video link on January 12, 2026. 

At a previous sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Special Detective Unit Detective Garda Declan O’Connor explained that the defendant had a right to be tried in either Northern Ireland or in the Republic of Ireland. 

Det O’Connor told that bail hearing that gardai believed the defendant was a member of a right wing group which was planning a terrorist attack. He said a video was discovered on the defendant’s phone which showed “four masked males including Mr Pollock reading a statement” and he said gardaí believed he was with a group planning to carry out a terrorist attack. The court heard a manifesto was also discovered by gardaí. 

During that bail hearing, Judge Andrew Cody asked to be shown the video which Det O’Connor said gardai believed was made in a house in O’Moore Place in Portlaoise.  

After viewing the video in private, Judge Cody said, “a video recovered from the accused's phone was played which Detective Garda O'Connor said was taken at O'Moore Place Portlaoise on 4 November 2025. This video shows what appears to be four men dressed in black with a tricolour behind them”.

“It is apparent that the video is a practice of a statement being released subsequent to a successful terrorist attack. Two of the participants including the gentleman Detective Garda, believes to be the accused read a prepared statement,” said Judge Cody. 

Judge Cody said in the video the men “say that they accept responsibility for the actions that have resulted in the destruction of the first mosque that was introduced in Ireland in County Galway. They say that they accept that this would have caused a lot of hurt, disappointment and destruction for foreign migrants both the legal and illegal in the community, that they do not care. They say that this will not be their last attack”. 

Judge Cody said “they say they intend to target IPAS centres, Mosques and hotels housing migrants and that they would take this as far as necessary to achieve their goals and call on others to join them”.  

A co accused, Karolis Peckauskas (38) of An Tobar, 37 Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth also appeared before Portlaoise District Court via video link today. 

He faces one charge of “possession an explosive substance, to wit four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide" at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was consenting to a remand in custody for four weeks for DPP directions. 

Judge Andrew Cody remanded the defendant in custody to appear again before Portlaoise District Court on January 12, 2026.