Local men arrested over arson attack on Galway hotel ‘influenced by far-right extremists online’

Gardaí do not believe the firebombing was carried out as part of a wider criminal conspiracy but are investigating if the suspects were influenced by anti-immigrant rhetoric.

The arson at the Ross Lake House Hotel in Rosscahill on December 16 came after concerns were raised locally that some 70 asylum seekers were to be housed at the property.

This morning detectives from the Galway division and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations (NBCI) searched a number of properties in the county and arrested four people for questioning.

Two of those detained are local men, aged in their 40s and 50s, who are being quizzed on suspicion of carrying out the arson attack at the hotel.

Two women, including one of the suspect’s partners, were also arrested for allegedly withholding information relating to the criminal investigation.

The females are aged in their 40s and 50s and are not suspected of involvement in the arson attack itself.

Gardaí do not yet believe there is any direct link between the Galway arson and approximately 20 similar attacks on properties around the country in recent months.

Investigators do however suspect that in many cases those responsible have been influenced by online commentary against asylum seekers from far-right agitators.

One source said that the arson incidents had slowed down in recent weeks, which may be as a result of several highly-publicised arrests and charges relating to the fires.

“In many cases there have been arrests, there have been charges, and there will hopefully be further prosecutions. The message is that people will be held accountable for these attacks,” said the source.

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Under the Criminal Damage Act 1991, the offence of arson carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the most extreme cases.

Senior gardaí have also previously warned that there is a grave risk to life with such crimes, given that security workers have been on-site in some instances where a fire has been started.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said last month that all of the incidents are being investigated locally, with the Special Detective Unit overseeing the national investigation for any potential commonality and individuals involved.

"At this moment in time we've not seen in effect an overall conspiracy. And a conspiracy has to be something more than four or five fire emojis on an X post," Mr Harris added.

He also said that a lot of posts are concerning by their content but do not meet the criminal threshold.

The counter-terror unit is also investigating what he said was "not a direct parallel but a close cousin" of these arsons relating to the abuse of politicians, which meets the criminal threshold.

In a statement at the time of the Galway arson, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “I am deeply concerned about recent reports of suspected criminal damage at a number of properties around the country which have been earmarked for accommodating those seeking international protection here, including in Co Galway last night. There is no justification for violence, arson or vandalism in our republic. Ever. Garda investigations are under way.”