LONDON (AP) — Irish police said Friday they were investigating a potential terrorism motive in an attack on a chaplain at an army barracks in County Galway.
Police said the army chaplain was approached by a young person outside Renmore Barracks in western Ireland and was stabbed a number of times Thursday morning. The Catholic priest, who is in his 50s, was rushed to a hospital and was treated for injuries that were serious but not life-threatening.
The Defense Forces said shots were fired by on-duty personnel after the chaplain was attacked, and a male teenager was quickly detained at the scene. The suspect was being questioned in detention at a police station.
Police said “one line of inquiry is to establish if this attack had a terrorism motivation.” They added that the incident was not believed to be “part of a wider conspiracy.”
“News of the assault on a Catholic priest, who is presently serving as chaplain to the Irish Defence Forces in Galway, is deeply shocking and upsetting,” said Bishop Michael Duignan in a statement.
Irish premier Simon Harris described the incident as “shocking.” Authorities condemned the attack.
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