Polish police arrested a 60-year-old man suspected of planning attacks on Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the Minister of National Defence. The lead emerged from analysis of online posts, prompting urgent searches of his home and investigations into his contacts.
Polish authorities revealed that police detained a man suspected of plotting attacks on Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak amid growing concerns about threats to the country’s top officials.
Donald Tusk posted on platform X confirming the arrest, stating that the man who threatened to carry out attacks is now in custody, and praised the police for their swift and decisive action.
Mariusz Kamiński, the Interior Minister, told TVP Info that the suspect is a man around 60 years old, arrested in the Lower Silesia region in southwestern Poland. Authorities uncovered leads through detailed analysis of internet content.
Currently, police are searching the suspect’s residence and examining his communications and online activities to collect evidence and verify information about him.
The Interior Ministry said the Government Protection Bureau (SOP), responsible for protecting key state figures, alerted police after reports of threats targeting the Prime Minister and Defence Minister. Subsequently, police, SOP, and Poland’s Internal Security Agency held a joint meeting to assess the situation.
A spokesperson for Jacek Dobrzyński, the coordinator for intelligence and special security agencies, stated that officials are taking the matter seriously. Threats against state officials have become increasingly frequent, and in this case, there is a high likelihood the threat could have led to actual violence.
However, the Interior Minister said it is still too early to conclude whether any foreign individuals or countries are involved. Preliminary findings suggest the suspect may be linked to extremist groups and has communicated with radical individuals online.
Poland Steps Up Security Vigilance Following Consecutive Violent Incidents
This arrest comes as Poland intensifies surveillance measures after multiple knife attacks occurred in recent weeks. Tusk has condemned these events as promoting a culture of violence.
Police reported on Sunday that nearly 64,000 schools and institutions have been inspected, and 117 individuals detained following violent incidents on school premises.
Earlier in September, Polish intelligence detained a 17-year-old suspected of Nazi sympathies and planning attacks on a school and mosque. Subsequently, two more minors were taken into custody in related cases.
Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, has been a key ally of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The Polish government has warned of risks from sabotage and hybrid warfare linked to Russia. However, Russia denies these allegations, and Polish authorities have yet to confirm foreign involvement in this case.
Source :channelnewsasia
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