Gardai find weapons cache yards from site earmarked for asylum seekers

Gardai have found a weapons cache – just yards from a controversial site earmarked for asylum seekers, it has emerged.

The Irish Mirror has learned that the arsenal – including a hatchet and knife – was hidden in ditches and bushes close to the entrance of the Thornton Hall site in north Dublin. The find comes less than two weeks after the throats of three pigs were slit at the same site – in an apparent attempt to deter Muslim asylum seekers from staying there.

Plans are afoot for up to 1,000 international protection applicants to be housed at the sprawling north Dublin site – once earmarked to be the location of a super prison. There have been protests against the plan and the Department of Integration has admitted they have hampered plans to move the applicants into tents on the 150-acre site.

READ MORE: Three pigs’ throats slit at site set for major migrant camp in sick bid to keep Muslims out

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It was planned to happen last month, but the move has now been delayed. Sources say gardaí believe most of the protestors are law abiding – but there is a small element of thuggery attached to it. It’s understood gardaí from north Dublin mounted an intelligence led operation around the entrance to the site on Monday afternoon – and discovered the haul of weapons hidden in ditches and bushes.

Sources told us the haul, which was still being investigated last night, included a knife, a con saw, a hatchet and iron bars. Gardaí last night confirmed a search operation took place in north Dublin – which we understand to be around the entrance to Thornton Hall.

A spokesman said: “On Monday 8^th July 2024, Gardaí conducted searches of grounds in North County Dublin. A number of items were recovered during the course of this search including an axe, metal poles, a knife and other implements. Enquiries are ongoing.”

We have established that gardaí are also aware of an incident in which a lock on the main gate to the site was glued in recent days – and security staff were unable to leave. On Wednesday, June 26, three pigs had their throats slit at the same site. Similar incidents have occurred in the UK and Europe and are used to prevent people of the Islamic faith from an area as they consider pigs unclean.

A source told the Irish Mirror at the time that there is little doubt that this was the intention of those involved in this incident.
He said: “The three pigs were left on the Thornton Hall site and there’s no doubt that it was to keep Muslims off the land.
“These animals were butchered, well half butcher, they had to be put down later.

“They were left cut up and bleeding out but alive…it was shocking to look at. It’s not being reported but this has been escalating for weeks with numerous incidents of trespassing and criminal damage and nothing has been done about it.”

It is understood that Thornton Hall, which was originally the site of a proposed “super prison” will be the first of the State’s first major migrant camps. It is believed that up to 1,000 migrants and asylum seekers will be accommodated there in the coming months.

Residents in the area have said they received “no public consultation” ahead of plans to bring asylum seekers to the area.
They point out that there are no services that would help asylum seekers living there with one resident saying there is nothing there but a few sheds and a septic tank.

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