A 39-year-old Dutch man has been arrested and is facing trial in the southern Irish city of Cork after allegedly threatening earlier this month to kill two French nationals, whom he called “Zionists,” Irish media outlets reported last week.
“Zionists should have their throats cut,” the suspect, Smael Heirouche, is reported to have threatened, according to the Irish Times.
At a court hearing last week, a police official described how Heirouche confronted the two Frenchmen — who lived with him at the same property in central Cork.
“He was quoting the Koran,” the Irish Times quoted Detective Geraldine Daly as saying. “They did not have the same belief. He did not take kindly to this. He made reference to recent terrorist attacks in France.”
“He said [the attacks were] excellent and…gave him great joy,” she continued.
Heirouche, according to Daly, was wearing long black robes and holding a Koran at the time of the threat. He claimed, Daly said, that he was making the threat “in the name of Islamic extremism,” the Irish Timesreported.
A judge refused Heirouche bail, extended his remand and ordered he undergo a psychiatric evaluation. His next court appearance will be on Nov. 24.
According to the Irish Examiner, a conviction for making a threat to kill or cause serious harm carries a sentence of up to ten years behind bars.
Source: Algemeiner