A 19-year-old Polish student, described as fascinated by Islam and terrorism, has been arrested for preparing an attack targeting a Christmas market in Poland. Authorities said his plans were disrupted at an early stage and cited his contacts with the so-called Islamic State.
Polish authorities announced on Tuesday that a young man suspected of preparing an explosive attack against a public gathering, including a Christmas market, has been arrested and charged with “preparation of a terrorist attack.”
The suspect is a first-year law student at the Catholic University of Lublin in eastern Poland, who was “fascinated by Islam and terrorism,” according to Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesperson for the coordinator of Poland’s special services.
According to prosecutors, the preparations were thwarted “at a preliminary stage,” based on the young man’s contacts with, among others, “representatives of the Islamic State group.” “The motive behind the suspect’s actions was to cause serious intimidation among many people and to support the activities of the so-called Islamic State organization,” the National Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.
The 19-year-old Pole, identified as Mateusz W., has been charged with “preparation of a terrorist attack that could have resulted in the death or serious injury of many people.” He has been placed in pretrial detention for 30 days and faces a possible life sentence, according to prosecutors.
