A resident at an asylum seeker accommodation centre in Co Monaghan has appeared in court in relation to threatening to burn the premises down.
The accused man is alleged to have poured petrol over himself in a row over his living arrangements at the accommodation centre.
40-year-old Hardi Abubaker Hama Ali, with an address at The M Hotel, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, appeared at a sitting of Monaghan District Court today following an appearance last week at the same court charged with issuing the alleged threat at the four-star establishment on Friday the 18th of July.
Garda David Moran, who arrested Hama Ali at the scene, said it will be alleged gardaí received reports that the accused had doused himself in petrol shortly before 5pm on the Friday evening.
He said the State were objecting to bail primarily on the nature and strength of evidence investigating gardai had managed to garner in the days since Mr Hama Ali's arrest.
Garda Moran said it will be alleged Hama Ali's clothes were "visibly wet" upon gardai's arrival to the scene with officers noting a "strong smell of petrol".
The court was told the prosecution's case will also be based on witness statements taken from both a security guard and the hotel's manager during which the accused is alleged to have made threats to burn the centre to the ground. Garda Moran said CCTV footage had also been obtained showing the accused pouring the contents of a plastic bottle over himself.
The 40-year-old Kurdish national was refused bail due to not being in a position to be able to offer an address that would be acceptable by the courts.
Among the other orders by the court were for Mr Hama Ali to provide a suitable address subject to garda approval, to stay away from the M Hotel and its surrounds alongside a once weekly sign on condition at Carrickmacross Garda Station. The Kurdish national was further remanded to Cloverhill prison to appear via video link on August 15th at Monaghan District Court to allow for DPP directions in the case.
