The Defence Forces chaplain who was attacked outside an Army barracks in Galway last week has been released from hospital.
Meanwhile, military management is to order a review of security arrangements at military facilities nationwide following the incident which left Army padre Fr Paul Murphy with serious but non life threatening injuries.
Fr Murphy (52), who is attached to Renmore Barracks in Galway city suffered multiple stab wounds when he was attacked as he entered the facility late on Thursday night.
During the incident, an Army sentry stationed at the gate fired five warning shots before soldiers disarmed and subdued the attacker until gardaí arrived.
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[ Sentry praised for ‘swift and decisive response’ to stabbing in GalwayOpens in new window ]
A 16-year-old suspect has since been charged with at Galway District Court assault causing harm. He has been remanded in custody.
Fr Murphy, who has been attached to Renmore for about a decade suffered around five stab wounds, including to his arms, during the attack.
He was rushed to Galway University Hospital (GUH) and underwent surgery on Friday. It is understood he received a large number of stitches. He was cleared for released on Monday by doctors and is in good spirits, sources said.
“He is extremely grateful to the staff and doctors and nurses at GUH,” a military source said.
Following in incident, a “lessons learned” review is to take place, including security procedures at military facilities.
This is a standard procedure following any serious incident and that there is no doubt that the military personnel on duty acted in “exemplary fashion”, a security source said.
In a statement immediately following the incident, a Defence Forces spokesman said the warning shots were fired in “strict accordance with force protection protocols after a Defence Forces member was assaulted”.
Soldiers responded with appropriate force in the face of an “immediate threat”, the spokesman said.
Reviews of security and use of force procedures are typical in the aftermath of security breaches or incidents where personnel discharge their weapons. In addition, audits of security at military installations take place on an annual basis.
[ Stabbed military chaplain Fr Paul F Murphy ‘very much a hands-on padre’Opens in new window ]
“For reasons of operational security, the Defence Forces does not disclose specific information relating to installation security protocols. The Defence Forces continues to support [An Garda Síochana] with the ongoing investigation,” a Defence Forces spokesman said on Monday in response to queries.
The teenager charged in connection with the incident, who cannot be named due to his age, is due back before Galway District Court on Tuesday. Gardaí told the court more charges may be forthcoming.
“As a result of evidence seized during the course of this investigation, it is believed that the accused holds a radical Islamist mindset,” Detective Sergeant Paul McNulty told the court. “An early analysis of devices attributed to the accused has revealed content of support to the Islamic State terrorist group.”
Det Sgt McNulty said Fr Murphy was not known to the accused and there was an “indiscriminate selection” of the victim.
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