Nine terrorism arrests in Ireland for jihadist Islamic extremism

Europol headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. The Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2024, produced by Europol, said that 426 individuals were arrested for terrorist offences across 22 EU member states last year. Picture: Peter Dejong/AP

There were nine terrorism arrests in Ireland last year for jihadist Islamic extremism — more than twice the number in recent years.

The EU’s landmark terrorism report also shows there was a reduction in the number of dissident republican and right-wing terror arrests in Ireland in 2023.

The Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2024, produced by EU police agency Europol, said that 426 individuals were arrested for terrorist offences across 22 EU member states last year — with most (334) relating to ‘jihadist’ terrorism.

This category refers to terrorism connected to a radical and violent interpretation of Islam, as reflected in the ideology of so-called Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), originating in South Central Asia.

The total number of terrorist-related offences in Ireland has gone from 14 in 2021, to 19 in 2022, and down to 15 in 2023.

A breakdown of those figures show:

• Jihadist: nine (2023), four (2022), and four (2021).
• Dissident republican: four (2003), 11 (2022), and seven (2021).
• Right wing: one (2023), four (2022), and one (2021).

The bulk of the jihadist arrests in Ireland are related to the financing of terrorism, rather than terrorist attacks, security sources have said.

In September 2023, the Garda’s intelligence chief told the Irish Examiner that the Special Detective Unit (SDU) was investigating around 60 cases of suspected financing of terrorism every year, most relating to monies destined for IS-type terror groups.

Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn said there was particular concern around ISKP — which, he said, had a “small presence” in Ireland.

The head of the Garda National Crime & Security Intelligence Service (NCSIS) said his officers achieved significant success in 2023 after they blocked entry into Ireland of a key ISKP player.

In October of this year, the SDU seized more than €100,000 in cash in an operation targeting Islamist fundraising in Ireland.

The amount of cash suggested this outfit was engaged in “substantial fundraising”, security sources said