Man wrongly linked to Parnell St stabbings to take legal action against Gript website

The Gript website and its editor, John McGuirk, face legal action taken by Abdelhafid Bensaada. File picture: Niall Carson/PA

A man who was wrongly linked on social media to the Parnell Square attacks in Dublin last November is taking legal action against the online publication Gript and its editor, John McGuirk.

Three young children and a teacher were stabbed outside a school on Parnell Square on November 23.

A man who was disarmed by onlookers and detained at the scene was subsequently charged in connection with the attacks. The Dublin riots followed hours later.

Soon afterwards, Gript published a long article on its site referring to court documents about a man’s dealings with the state on asylum matters. It claimed the man involved was the suspect for the November 23 attacks.

The man was not named in the article but people took to social media later and named who they claimed was the attacker.

In a statement after the publication of the article, gardaí said: “The individual referenced in the article is not a person of interest in the investigation into the knife attack...

“An Garda Síochána has contacted the online news outlet and the outlet has agreed to remove the article.”

The Algerian man who was falsely accused on social media, Abdelhafid Bensaada, was given Garda protection and security advice. He had no involvement whatsoever in the Parnell Square attacks.

On November 29, Gript Media Ltd published a correction in place of the original article in which it claimed that it had been misled by a source.

On Thursday, lawyers for Mr Bensaada, who is represented by Regan McEntee & Partners, lodged papers with the High Court, signalling an intent to sue Gript and Mr McGuirk.