Immigration office targeted

GARDAÍ ARE investigating an attack at the offices of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service on Burgh Quay, Dublin, in the early hours of yesterday morning. One attacker broke all of the panes of glass on the facade of the building.

The block is used by the Garda and Department of Justice in the operation of the State's immigration regime, including the processing of asylum applications and deportation orders.

Gardaí believe one attacker was involved in the incident. They believe the man used items from nearby road works to smash up the premises. The incident is being investigated by gardaí at nearby Pearse Street Garda station in Dublin's south inner city. The attack, which took place at about 4am, was captured on CCTV cameras.

The images were being studied by investigators last night and show a man dressed in a white suit attacking the outside of the building.

Gardaí are unsure if the attack was racially motivated or if it is linked to the attacker's frustration with the deportation system operated from the building.