Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 30057Terrorism finance · Co. Dublin

Terrorism finance suspect adjourned at Dublin High Court

Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, an Algerian man in his early 50s, was arrested in Dublin on 10 September 2021 after living in Firhouse, South Dublin, under the false name Yusef Mandani for approximately 20 to 22 years. He had been convicted in absentia in France of offences linked to the facilitation of Islamic terrorism, including financing terrorist activities and trafficking arms and fake documents, and was sentenced to six years. He fled Marseille in 2000 and worked as a courier in Dublin until his arrest, which followed an alert through the Schengen Information System after Ireland joined the system in March 2021. He was brought before the High Court on 10 September but was too ill to attend his 15 September hearing, and the case was adjourned to 23 September when he is expected to apply for bail.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested16 Sep
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Sep
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Yahiaoui was convicted in absentia in France of offences linked to the facilitation of Islamic terrorism, including financing terrorist activities and trafficking arms and fake documents.
  • He was not accused of being involved in terrorism himself.
Sentence
He was sentenced to six years in his absence in France.
Where
He was living in Firhouse, near Tallaght, South Dublin, under the false name Yusef Mandani, and had previously been based in Marseille, France.
When
  • He fled to Ireland in 2000 shortly after being prosecuted in Marseille and had been hiding from European police forces for 20 to 22 years.
  • He was arrested by gardaí from the Extradition Unit on 10 September 2021.
Investigation
  • Gardaí received an alert through the Schengen Information System that Yahiaoui may be living in Ireland and was wanted in France, following Ireland's accession to the system in March 2021.
  • The NBCI worked with Interpol, French police and other law enforcement agencies, and carried out surveillance to confirm he was living in Ireland under a pseudonym.
Charges
He was convicted in France of terrorism finance offences.
In court
  • He was brought before the High Court on 10 September 2021 under a European Arrest Warrant from France.
  • The case was adjourned to 23 September 2021 after he was too ill to attend on 15 September.
  • He remains in custody and is expected to apply for bail on 23 September 2021.
Other details
  • He was employed as a courier in Dublin until his arrest.
  • At least one other country is also seeking him after France.
49 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatYahiaoui was hiding from European police forces for 22 years in Ireland (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was secretly working as a courier in Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was convicted of terror-related offences in France (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe fled before being locked up for trafficking arms and fake documents (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe offences were linked to facilitating terrorism (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe was living under a false name (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAbderrahmane Yahiaoui is an Algerian man in his early 50s (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe suspect was convicted of terrorism finance in France (gript.ie)
  • whereHe was previously based in Marseille, France (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHe was living in Firhouse, near Tallaght, South Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHe was taken to Tallaght Garda Station (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereHe is believed to have been living in Dublin for about 22 years (irishtimes.com)
  • whereHe had been living in Marseille, France, before moving to Ireland (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe was arrested on Friday evening (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe terrorism-related offences occurred in the late 1990s (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenHe arrived in Ireland in the late 1990s or early 2000s (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe fled to Ireland in 2000 shortly after being prosecuted in Marseille. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe was arrested in the week before 16 September 2021 (gript.ie)
  • investigationThe NBCI worked with Interpol, French police and other law enforcement agencies (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí received an alert through the Schengen Information System that Yahiaoui may be living in Ireland and was wanted in France (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHe was arrested by gardaí from the Extradition Unit on 10 September 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations carried out further checks including surveillance and confirmed he was living in Ireland under a pseudonym. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA team from the Garda Extradition Unit arrested him in Tallaght and brought him before the High Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHis arrest resulted from Ireland joining the EU police data-sharing system in March 2021 (gript.ie)
  • chargeHe was convicted in absentia in France of offences linked to the facilitation of Islamic terrorism (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe will be extradited to France to serve his sentence (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHe was taken under Garda escort to the High Court in Dublin for an extradition hearing (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe extradition is on foot of a European Arrest Warrant from France (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHe appeared briefly at court on Saturday (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHe was brought before the High Court on Friday evening (10 September 2021) (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe was too ill to attend his court appearance on 15 September 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was adjourned to 23 September 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe remains in custody (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe is expected to apply for bail on 23 September 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was adjourned to Wednesday where Mr Justice Paul Burns heard he was too ill to attend. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was adjourned until 23 September when he is expected to apply for bail. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe intends to challenge his extradition to France. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceHe was sentenced to six years in his absence (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherAt least one other country will also want him after France (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherIreland formally joined the Schengen Information System earlier in 2021 (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe has been employed as a courier while living in Ireland (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man is Algerian and was convicted of terrorism-related offences in France. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFrench prosecutors alleged he was associating with Islamic fundamentalist groups and involved in financing terrorist activities during the mid-1990s. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe was not accused of being involved in terrorism himself. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA European arrest warrant was issued by France two years after his flight, following the establishment of the EAW system in 2002. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe adopted the name Yusef Mandani and lived in Firhouse, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe was employed with a courier company until his arrest. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherIn six months of SIS II operation, the system led to 126 extradition arrests in Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe had been hiding from European police forces for 20 years (gript.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Sep2021
    Arrestedgript.ie, its first report
    Gardaí arrest Islamic terror suspect living ‘unremarkable’ life in Dublin - Gript

    First report of the arrest in Dublin of an Algerian national previously convicted of terrorism finance in France, who had been living in the city for over 20 years.

    suspect, Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, male, Algerian, named at arrest, non-irishAbderrahmane Yahiaoui
  2. 16 Sep2021
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Man convicted of terrorism financing led ‘unremarkable’ life in Ireland

    Reports the arrest and initial High Court proceedings of an Algerian man under a French EAW for terrorism financing, and explains how his detection resulted from a desktop exercise following Ireland's accession to SIS II.

    accused, Abderrahman Yahiaoui, early 50s, male, Algerian, named, non-irishAbderrahman Yahiaoui
  3. 15 Sep2021
    In courtirishtimes.com, its first report
    Alleged terrorism supporter who fled to Ireland 20 years ago too sick to attend court

    Reports that Yahiaoui was too ill to attend his 15 September High Court hearing, resulting in adjournment to 23 September; confirms he remains in custody and will apply for bail; adds details about his prior residence in Marseille and employment as a courier in Ireland.

    suspect, Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, early 50s, male, Algerian, named, non-irishAbderrahmane Yahiaoui
  4. 15 Sep2021
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Gardai arrest terror suspect hiding in plain sight in Ireland for 22 years

    Provides additional details: Yahiaoui was living in Firhouse near Tallaght under a false name working as a courier; the NBCI arrested him with Interpol and French police cooperation; the offences occurred in the late 1990s; he was based in Marseille before fleeing; he appeared at the High Court for an extradition hearing; at least one other country is also seeking him.

    suspect, Abderrahmane Yahiaoui, early 50s, male, Algerian, named, non-irishAbderrahmane Yahiaoui