Gardaí have searched a number of properties in the Nutgrove area of south Dublin this morning in connection with an apparent racist assault last week.
Brothers Naqeeb Ahmadzai (18) and Fazalrahman Ahmadzai (20), along with their nephew Abdul (13) were punched in the face, kicked and beaten unconscious by a gang of five men as they were cycling home from Marlay Park in Rathfarnham last Thursday evening.
They were discharged from hospital at the weekend after receiving treatment for injuries they suffered in the attack.
Gardaí have not yet made any arrests, but officers seized items including hatchets and iron bars recovered during searches on Tuesday.
Abdul’s father, who asked for his full name not to be used, said his son, who suffered cuts and bruises to his face, had requested to be discharged from hospital on Saturday as he was afraid that the attackers would find him there.
“The hospital said my son should stay there, but my son was scared that they would come again to the hospital. He’s just 13. He was not happy in hospital – he was saying, ‘Maybe they will come’.”
Mr Ahmadzai said gardaí had visited the family home three times since Friday and had said that "if we want them to come at any time, they will come".
The family had asked neighbours to report any suspicious activity around the house to gardaí, he added.
"Naqeeb has not been eating. Whatever he eats, he just vomits back . . . he's just 18," Mr Admadzai said of his brother.
“They’re scared. They’re thinking that the people who did this will come again. I can see the fear in the eyes of the children. Hopefully it won’t happen again.”
Mr Ahmadzai (32) moved to Ireland from Afghanistan six years ago, was granted refugee status and became an Irish citizen in 2013.
He said he and his family were returning home after 8pm last Thursday after a few hours spent enjoying the sunshine in Marlay Park. He and other members of the family drove, but Abdul and his two uncles cycled.
As the three cycled along Nutgrove Way towards Broadford Road in Ballinteer, a car with five adult men slowed down beside them.
"They rolled down the window and started shouting the F-word many times, swearing a lot and saying, 'Why are you here? Go back to your country,'" Mr Ahmedzai said.
“The men drove the car across in front of them, blocked them in. They didn’t check their pockets for money or take their bikes – they went straight to punch them.”
Some of the attackers used “a black metal object” to beat the men, the father said.
“Both my brothers fell unconscious after they were punched in the face. At the end of it, they punched my son in the face and head. Everything happened in four to five minutes.”
The men then got back into their car.
“They stuck up their finger saying, ‘We’ll see you again. Go back to your own country. This is a warning, next time we’ll kill you.’ They used the F-word about being Muslim too.”
Gardaí arrived within minutes and all three victims were taken to hospital.
A Garda spokeswoman said that it was seeking four men who fled in a blue Peugeot in the direction of Dundrum.
