‘Jihadi’ torched Conor McGregor’s pub and stabbed garda screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’

Abdullah Khan, 24, pleaded guilty to stabbing Garda Gary Lynch and carrying out an arson attack on the Black Forge Inn — a pub owned by Conor McGregor — in two separate terror-linked incidents

A supporter of so-called Islamic State who knifed a garda and torched a pub belonging to Conor McGregor has been handed a six-and-a-half year prison term by a Dublin court.

Abdullah Khan, 24, stood before the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday. Khan admitted to multiple charges, including the stabbing of Garda Gary Lynch on Capel Street in Dublin city centre on July 29 last year and the arson attack on the Black Forge Inn, a venue owned by McGregor, several days prior on July 25.

Irish police reported that Khan yelled “Allahu Akbar” before attacking the garda, and voiced backing for the terrorist organisation calling itself Islamic State in later questioning.

Overseeing proceedings were Ms Justice Karen O’Connor, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Fiona Lydon. Ms Justice O’Connor handed down a seven-and-a-half year sentence to Khan, with the final 12 months suspended. The sentence will be backdated to commence from July 29, 2025.

Khan entered guilty pleas to eight offences, which took place across two days last year, including criminal damage, assault causing harm, engaging in terrorist activity and endangerment.

The court heard that following Khan’s arrest after the stabbing incident, he confessed to targeting the Black Forge Inn days beforehand. He doused the building’s frontage with an accelerant and ignited it using matches.

The self-proclaimed “jihadi” informed gardaí that individuals had insulted the Prophet Mohammed and that he was incensed by this. Khan confessed to being a follower of Isis and jihadism, revealing he targeted gardaí and torched the pub to deliver a warning to its proprietor McGregor against insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

He explained his fury stemmed from viewing McGregor as someone who had contributed to the rise of the far right in Ireland. The court heard Khan had always possessed spiritual leanings, but underwent radicalisation around the age of 19 or 20.

He disclosed his admiration for Al Zarqawi, the founder of Islamist terror group ISIS, stating he had absorbed his speeches and embraced ISIS ideology. The court was also informed that after the stabbing incident, Garda Lynch experienced a sudden sharp sensation on his right side and turned to see a man wielding a blade who then cried out “Allahu Akbar” twice.

The officer described feeling frightened and recognised his life had been in danger when he spotted Khan brandishing a knife near his chest. He lost sensation in his right arm and collapsed to his knees, using his baton for support. He required four stitches to his arm and a further two beneath his forearm.

The court learned Khan struggled with mental health difficulties, harboured distrust towards doctors and psychiatrists, and dismissed them as a “sham”. Khan’s relatives held worries about him and had attempted to encourage him to seek professional help, but he declined. Khan stated that in the period before the attack, he reached breaking point.

Ms Justice O’Connor ruled the attacks were premeditated and calculated, noting he arrived at the pub equipped with accelerant, rags and matches. The judge stated that Khan arrived at Capel Street carrying a knife and launched an unprovoked assault on the victims, who were officers of An Garda Síochána.

He struck one of the guards from behind, giving the officer no chance to defend himself. Members of the public were also present at the scene, including young children who Ms Justice O’Connor said should not have been subjected to witnessing the attack.

She confirmed that the assaults constituted terrorist activity. She noted that the two officers delivered compelling victim impact statements, and that the CCTV footage of the attack made for “disturbing viewing”.

Khan was handed a total sentence of seven-and-a-half years, with the final year suspended. Upon his release from prison, he will remain under probation supervision for four years. Ms Justice O’Connor extended her best wishes to the injured officers for their recovery.

Speaking to reporters outside the court, a senior officer stated that Khan’s sentencing underscores the “need for vigilance to the dangers of extreme ideologies”.

Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Woods told the press: “Abdullah Khan’s unprovoked attack on two unarmed uniformed members of An Garda Síochána on July 29 2025 and an arson attack on a licensed premises in Dublin on July 25 2025 were both motivated by an extreme ideology, an ideology based upon a perversion of a legitimate faith.

“This case, similar to other recent cases finalised before the courts, clearly highlights the need for vigilance to the dangers extreme ideologies, political, religious, or non-aligned extremism pose.”

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