Poland: 17-year-old boy arrested for planned terrorist attack

Polish domestic intelligence arrested a 17-year-old teenager fascinated by Nazism who was planning an attack against a school and a mosque, the anti-terrorism prosecution announced Tuesday, September 22 in a press release.

Pawel G. was charged with preparing a terrorist act, promoting Nazi and fascist content, inciting racial hatred and planning to acquire weapons. Investigators seized knives, a bayonet, as well as books and objects bearing fascist and Nazi symbols from his home. Analysis of his phones and computer revealed “correspondence relating in particular to the planning of mass attacks, including an attack on a school and a mosque (...), the acquisition of weapons, ammunition and military equipment, and the use of grenades and Molotov cocktails,” the press release specifies.

In a separate press release, the Internal Security Agency (ABW) emphasizes that two other minors were recently arrested in connection with the arrest of Pawel G. All three exchanged with ultra-right activists on Telegram and Discord, mentioning in particular the perpetrators of previous attacks, including a minor of German nationality, reported by investigators to the intelligence services of his country.

“The participants analyzed the modus operandi of the perpetrators of terrorist attacks and took inspiration from them,” according to the ABW. Pawel G. faces up to 15 years in prison. He denies the charges against him. “There is and will be no indulgence for fascism, hatred and the planning of bloody attacks in Poland,” Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek responded on X, specifying that explosives had also been found at the home of the main suspect.