IRISH authorities were repeatedly warned there were people in the country supporting extremist groups but did nothing to stop them, a Muslim leader has said.
The claim came as further details emerged of the Irish connection to one of those responsible for last weekend's terror attack in London.
Rachid Redouane was one of three men who killed seven people and left scores of others injured.
The 30-year-old, of Moroccan-Libyan origin, married in Dublin in 2012 and gave an address in Rathmines before moving back and forth between Ireland and the UK.
He was never under surveillance by Irish authorities and the link was uncovered after an identity card issued in the Republic was found on the attacker after he was shot dead by police.
Imam in Dublin says he warned 2 yrs ago of young muslims being radicalised pic.twitter.com/lTlQfsRGyd— Sharon O'Neill (@sharon_utv) June 6, 2017
Muslim leader and scholar Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri last night claimed not enough has been done to crack down on people in Ireland supporting terror groups.
Shaykh Al-Qadri is the founder of the Al-Mustafa Islamic Cultural Centre in Dublin and chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, one of the largest Islamic groups in Ireland.
"Two years ago I had warned the authorities that there were several individuals in Ireland spreading hatred and are extreme in their views and ideology, supporting these terror groups," he told The Irish News.
"This was happening both publicly and online and I warned the authorities several times, but they just said they were being monitored.
"They didn’t crack down on these people or do anything to stop them. There are still active today, spreading hatred."
Shaykh Al-Qadri said laws need to be changed to ensure those preaching extremist ideology are taken off the streets.
He added: "Local imams should not give these people a platform and they shouldn’t let them in their mosques. They don’t represent us."
Justice minister Frances Fitzgerald last night said gardaí have the necessary resources to deal with the terror threat after the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors expressed concern about cuts to the force.
Ms Fitzgerald urged caution about speculation surrounding Redouane's movements and insisted gardaí have the necessary intelligence and intervention capability in relation to international terrorism.
