Paul Reynolds, RTE Crime Correspondent

2 November 2026

A 24-year-old man who described himself as a “Salafi Jihadi”, stabbed a garda and set the Black Forge pub on fire last year in two terrorist attacks within four days has been jailed for six and a half years, with four years post-release supervision.

Abdullah Khan, whose address cannot be published because of a court order, pleaded guilty to eight charges including two terrorist offences in connection with both attacks in July of last year.

He admitted he was a supporter of ISIS and jihadism and that he attacked gardaí and set the pub on fire as a message to the Government and to the pub’s owner, Conor McGregor, not to insult the prophet Muhammad.

Khan said he was angry at McGregor as someone he characterised as helping the far-right grow in Ireland and was angry at the State for permitting free speech and as he saw it, the prophet to be insulted.

He said he had been inspired by Al Zarqawi, the founding father of the Islamist terrorist organisation ISIS, and told gardaí he had always called himself a Jihadist.

Khan first became interested in Jihadism when aged around 19 or 20, but became more extreme as he grew older and shared the same ideology as ISIS.

“I support them, I have always been a spiritual person,” he told gardaí and admitted that he had followed the four core principles.

“They share the same ideal as me,” he said.

He said he felt the prophet Muhammed had been insulted by people with a right-wing mindset and the State had allowed this to happen.

This he described as “outrageous” and said it “made me sad”.

“As far as McGregor goes,” he told officers from the Special Detective Unit, which investigates terrorism, “he’s someone who helped the far-right grow in this country. I held him responsible. He was playing a very dangerous game.”

“When it comes to the prophet Muhammed, we don’t see it as a matter of freedom of speech,” he said. “We don’t mock other religions.”

His perceived insults to the prophet as “provocative” which he said “hurt me a lot”.

He said he was “very angry at the State” which he said had “a duty to denounce it”.

It was, he said, “a red line, not to be crossed. The State shouldn’t let that stuff, that was my motive.”

He also told the detectives that he had made up his mind to attack a garda. “Look I’m going to stab a guard,” he said.

“I was angry, I was going to stab a guard. I was angry at the State. I wanted to make a protest, I felt the prophet was insulted, look that’s a red line I don’t want that happening.”

Detective Inspector Gavin Ross from the Special Detective Unit told the court during the sentencing hearing that the reasoning and motivation in Khan’s mind comes from Salafi Jihadism.

“You become a target if you insult the prophet Mohammad,” the detective said.

He also said that statements made to gardaí by Khan’s associates are still the subject of ongoing investigation and lines of inquiry are still being pursued.

Khan also admitted that shouting “Allahu Akbar” as he attacked the garda was part of his terrorism.

“I totally agree”, he said, “that is undeniable, Allahu Akbar, that doesn’t come out at random”.

The two gardaí were on a high visibility patrol in Capel Street in Dublin at 6pm on 29 July 2025 when Khan ran up from behind and attacked them with a knife.

The gardaí defended themselves and used protective equipment including batons and pepper spray to subdue him before he was arrested.

A member of the public also intervened to help.

Victim still does not know if life will be ‘normal’

The garda was stabbed on his dominant right arm and suffered chronic nerve pain which required surgery.

In a victim impact statement, he said he still suffers the physical and mental effects of the attack and is undergoing ongoing occupational therapy.

He said he felt bumps from behind but on seeing the knife, he was in shock at such a violent attack and was thinking of his family and partner.

He wanted to survive and believed he had been stabbed in the side, but could not stop to treat himself.

He said he suffers nightmares, pain and ongoing doubt and replayed it in his head.

The fact that it was widely circulated and talked about on social media also made him feel extremely vulnerable.

He said all he could think about were threats, and he became fixated on males whose body language was off.

He found it very difficult to be out in public and sat facing the door in restaurants.

He said the attack has affected him mentally, physically and morally.

He was a newly-joined member of An Garda Síochána whose life and career has been paused, and he struggles now and questions if he is still capable of being a good garda.

He said he had planned a career path, but feels left behind as his progress stalled.

“I don’t know if my life will return to normal,” he said. His colleague said he was unable to sleep for three weeks after the attack and woke up in a panic, still afraid.

He said he is cautious at work when responding to calls and unable to walk on Capel Street.

He is continuously looking over his shoulder, he said, and keeps thinking about how lucky he and his colleague were to survive.

The court heard he also said he associated the term Allahu Akbar with terrorism, “as a war cry”.

Khan refused to engage with probation officers, psychologists

The youngest of six children, Khan has no previous convictions.

His defence counsel Michael Bowman told the three judges at the sentencing hearing that he was born and educated in Ireland but spent time in Pakistan where he was socially isolated.

His mental health deteriorated when he returned to Ireland, he became withdrawn, increasingly paranoid, depressed and spent all his time in room.

The 24-year-old left home and became homeless, increasingly paranoid, confused and now recognises he was in a mental health crisis.

He said he acknowledges the harm he has caused, and wanted to apologise.

Ms Justice Karen O’Connor praised both gardaí for their professionalism and bravery.

She said they both “displayed great courage,” in particular the garda who had been stabbed because “he knew others would be hurt if he didn’t continue to carry out his role”.

“He had just been stabbed and yet he was thinking of his role, keeping people safe,” she said.

“Both displayed extraordinary courage, both gardaí were doing that in a very difficult situation.”

Khan refused to engage with probation officers and psychologists ahead of his sentencing.

The three judges had requested that he engage in risk assessment and psychological analysis which would have helped in structuring his sentence.

Ms Justice O’Connor, the presiding judge, said the court was “disappointed” by his refusal and that Khan would require “significant post release supervision”.

She said today the offences were very serious and the videos of them made for disturbing viewing.

Khan, she said, made repeated attempts to stab the garda and refused to drop the knife.

She commended the members of the public who came to help, adding that gardaí have to be protected and there has to be strong deterrent.

The court sentenced him to between four and seven and a half years in prison with the final year suspended.

It also sentenced him to four years post-release supervision on strict conditions including that he not engage in terrorist activity, associated with terrorist groups or participate in marches, rallies or demonstrations.

He can only worship at a place that has the prior approval of the probation service.

He is not allowed possess a knife, petrol, lighter fuel or other accelerants outside his home.

Khan agreed to be bound by these and other conditions.

The Judge also wished the gardaí well in their recovery.

‘Extreme ideology’ motivation behind attack

The officer in charge of the Special Detective Unit said today the terrorist attacks by Abdullah Khan were motivated by an extreme ideology, an ideology based upon a perversion of a legitimate faith.

Chief Superintendent Brian Woods said this case and others clearly highlights the need for vigilance to the dangers of extreme ideologies and political, religious and non-aligned extremism.

He said An Garda Síochána remains exceptionally alert to the threats from terrorism and violent political extremism and will continue to investigate these crimes and make early interventions where radicalisation presents itself.

The Chief Superintendent also said the case clearly highlights the daily dangers to which gardaí are exposed.

Garda Patrick Nevin and Garda Gary Lynch were on routine patrol when they were attacked without provocation or warning and he said “I want to commend those two fine colleagues on their bravery and resilience in overpowering and arresting Abdullah Khan”.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2026/1102/1597649-abdullah-khan-court/