'Far-right threat is very serious'

Martin voices concern over growing 'militancy' of extremism

- BY MICHAEL O'TOOLE

FAR-RIGHT activists are working together to undermine the State - and to carry out violent attacks, the Taoiseach has warned.

"This is very serious. You're talking about an organised approach to inflict violence on people," Micheal Martin said yesterday morning.

Mr Martin made his comments in the wake of an alleged far-right plan to attack a mosque in Galway.

He said he was concerned about the far-right coming together.

And, speaking about the incident in Portlaoise late last week in which two men were charged over the alleged plan to attack the mosque in Galway, Mr Martin said: "I'm concerned about the far-right more generally.

"In terms of that militancy, this latest development is very serious. I commend An Garda Siochana for intercepting and getting underneath the bonnet of this."

AWARE

And, speaking at a graduation ceremony for more than 200 full-time and reserve officers at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, he added: "I'm aware of individuals who have been threatened, whose family members have been threatened in certain contexts, which to protect confidentiality of people, I am not going to go into.