Gardaí probing violent assault of man on his way to mosque

While it was initially thought Islamophobia could be a factor in the incident, the victim believes the assailants wanted to rob his bicycle

A man in Muslim dress and heading to evening prayer was attacked near his local mosque in Dublin on Sunday night. Picture: Denis Minihane

Gardaí are investigating a serious assault and robbery in which a gang of youths attacked a man with what the victim said was a hammer and a bottle, before stealing his bicycle.

The victim was in Muslim dress and heading to evening prayer at his local mosque on Sunday night, three days into Ramadan, when the attack happened.

While there were initial concerns the assault was motivated by Islamophobia, the victim has indicated to colleagues that the youths wanted to take his bike.

Gardaí are currently treating the motive as robbery but said that, as laid out under official hate crime policy, the perception of the victim will be central to the assessment.

The victim, Abdullah Echchalh, a father aged in his 40s, was at the junction of Cork Street and Clanbrassil Street at Dolphin’s Barn, in Dublin’s south inner city, when he was approached by two young males.

Fazel Ryklief, a senior member of the Dublin Mosque on South Circular Road, said he spoke to the Mr Echchalh on Monday morning.

“About 9.15pm on Sunday, I got a call from people who work in the mosque and told me about Abdullah and he was completely disoriented, hit badly and was lying on the ground,” Mr Ryklief said.

He said Mr Echchalh works part time as security in the mosque.

“I spoke to Abdullah this morning. He’s out of hospital. Luckily, he was not seriously injured. They had attacked him with a hammer and a bottle.” 

Attempt to take bicycle

It turned out the serious assault happened after the initial attempt to take his bike.

“There was two of them and they wanted to take his bike, at Massey’s [funeral home] at the corner [of Dolphins Barn],” Mr Ryklief said. “They tried to grab it and he held on to it and fought back and managed to drive the two of them off.” 

He said Mr Echchalh managed to get across the junction and sought respite at the entrance to Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church on the other corner.

“The two had got reinforcements and there were four of them now, with hammer and bottles and they hit him," Mr Ryklief said. "One was on a bike and the other three were running. They took his bike.” 

Other worshippers going to prayer came across the injured party and rang the ambulance and later contacted Mr Ryklief.

“He was in a terrible daze," he said. "First of all, we thought he was seriously injured, maybe brain damage if he was hit with a hammer.

“Abdullah said ‘they left me out of hospital, did a scan and everything fine’. He said there were a number of stitches in his face, and said he was going to take it easy. He said ‘I have to get my eyes checked, because of the injury and pain’.” 

Mr Ryklief said that when he first heard of the attack he thought it was a hate crime: “I thought it was Islamophobic when I heard about it, but when I spoke to him this morning he said ‘they were after my bike, and I refused and that’s when it started'.” 

After the attack, the mosque informed worshippers to “always walk in groups and be street aware”.

Mr Ryklief has had a number of conversations with gardaí.

“I got a lot of messages after from people saying ‘Fazel you need to do something, you need to get the guards to park their car here every night during Ramadan’.” 

Call for increased patrols

He thinks that may not be necessary but is calling on the gardaí, with which, he says, they have very good relations, to increase patrols along South Circular Road, down to Dolphins Barn during the times around evening prayer.

“I asked the police to up the rounds around us. It is Ramadan and people do tend to come for evening prayer, and evenings can get a bit messy. I would ask them to drive past, say here to Dolphins Barn.” 

Chief superintendent Mick McElgunn said gardaí at Kevin Street station were investigating an incident where three to four people attacked and robbed a man on South Circular Road at around 9.30pm on Sunday.

He said the victim sustained facial injuries in the attack.

He said gardaí would be grateful for any help from the public in relation to the “thuggish crime”, urging them to ring Kevin Street Garda Station on 01 666 9400 or the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111.

Chief Supt McElgunn said the motive was currently assessed as robbery, but said they retain “an open mind”.

On the question of possible racial motivation, he said a diversity officer would engage with the victim and said that, under the Garda Hate Crime policy, the perception of the victim would be central to its categorisation.

He said community police were engaging with the mosque and that additional community policing teams will be available during Ramadan, with additional patrols in the area.

He said gardaí took robberies from the person very seriously and said they had recently apprehended a gang of six people, from eastern Europe, who had robbed a mobile phone from a couple on Golden Lane.