Polish authorities foil Islamic State-inspired Christmas market attack plot

A first-year law student at the Catholic University of Lublin was arrested by Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) over a foiled plan to commit a terrorist attack, officials said.

Mateusz W, 19, a Polish citizen from a Catholic family, allegedly intended to join a terrorist organisation and was planning an attack in a public place in support of the so-called Islamic State group (IS). He was arrested on 30 November and will remain in custody for three months.

The National Public Prosecutor's Office said ABW officers searched locations in the Łódź and Lublin provinces, seizing data storage devices and other items that may serve as evidence.

"Searches were carried out during which data carriers, including Mateusz W's mobile phone, and objects related to the Islamic religion were secured," said Katarzyna Calów-Jaszewska of the National Prosecutor's Office.

"Mateusz W's activities included conducting conversations and establishing contacts, including with representatives of the Islamic State, as well as collecting information about explosives and the possibilities of obtaining them."

Prosecutors said his activities "did not go beyond the preparation phase" and were limited to conversations about planning an attack "in a public place where 10 to 20 people could be present". References to a Christmas market appeared in conversations but no specific location was identified.

Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesman for the Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, said the student was "strongly fascinated by Islam and terrorism and sought to establish contacts with the Islamic State." He added that ABW's actions "prevented a tragedy".

Dobrzyński said Mateusz W is a Polish citizen from central Poland whose parents are also Polish. Neither Dobrzyński nor prosecutors specified which city the attack was planned for, saying they did not want to "create panic".

University suspends suspect

The investigation is being conducted by the ABW's Szczecin branch under supervision of the West Pomeranian Branch of the Department for Organised Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor's Office in Szczecin.

The Catholic University of Lublin received information from the court on 8 December about the student's temporary arrest, which was applied on 2 December, according to university spokesman Wojciech Andrusiewicz.

The student has been suspended and could face further penalties, including expulsion.

Christmas markets in Europe, particularly in Germany, have been targeted in several attacks in recent years.

Perpetrators have typically used vehicles, knives or explosives, often after being radicalised by extremist propaganda.

Last week, German police foiled a planned attack in Lower Bavaria where five men allegedly intended to ram a vehicle into a crowd at a Christmas market in an undisclosed town.

Authorities across Europe have introduced additional security measures at Christmas markets, including barriers and checkpoints.