An investigation is under way into an alleged assault on a senior Muslim cleric in Dublin last night.
Chairperson of the Irish Muslim Council Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri has said he was the victim of a “deliberate hate crime” in Dublin.
Writing on X, Dr Al-Qadrai he was attacked after he met two people at a prearranged meeting.
He wrote: “The next thing I remember is feeling disoriented in my car, surrounded by helpful Irish neighbours of the area I was visiting, as the Gardaí and ambulance arrived.
“I was injured and had lost consciousness, but my mobile phone was still with me, allowing me to contact my friends who arrived within 15 minutes. They took me to the hospital where I stayed overnight.”
Dr Al-Qadri said he is “doing alright”.
He said he had a CT scan and “thankfully, there is no brain injury or broken jaw, but the left side of my face is severely swollen and my front teeth are damaged.”
He thanked “the kind Irish lady and two Irish gentlemen who assisted me when I collapsed and safely helped me to my car”.
Detectives in Tallaght are investigating and have yet to formally interview Dr Al-Qadri.
Dr Al-Qadri is the head of the Islamic Educational and Cultural Centre in Ireland and the founder of Irish Muslim Peace and Integration and has lived in Ireland for the last 21 years.
