AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A senior Muslim leader in Dublin was assaulted by two people in what he described as a " deliberate hate crime" last night.
Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri, the chairperson of the Irish Muslim Council, said he was attacked after he met them for a scheduled meeting, RTE reported on Friday.
"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," he wrote on X, adding, "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."
He was taken to the hospital where he stayed overnight. He said he suffered a swollen face and damaged teeth, but no brain injury or broken jaw.
He expressed his gratitude to the neighbours who helped him and said he was "doing alright". He also said his attackers did not rob him, but intended to harm him. "It was a preplanned attack and a deliberate hate crime," he wrote.
Gardaí confirmed they are investigating a robbery and assault that took place in Tallaght yesterday evening and that one man needed medical attention. They have not yet interviewed Al-Qadri.
Al-Qadri is the founder of Irish Muslim Peace and Integration and the head of the Islamic Educational and Cultural Centre in Ireland. He has been living in Ireland for 21 years.
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