Polish authorities have detained a 19-year-old law student in connection with an alleged plan to attack a local Christmas market. Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) arrested the first-year student from the Catholic University of Lublin following intelligence reports indicating links to ISIS. In a press statement, the agency said the student, who was born into a Catholic family, was suspected of intending to join a terrorist organisation and planning an attack in a public place in support of the Islamic State (IS). Investigators recovered evidence suggesting ties to the group from data storage devices seized during a routine search conducted in the Warsaw region.
Prosecutors later confirmed that the suspect, identified by authorities as Mateusz, had established contact with ISIS representatives through burner phone calls. They said his activities did not go beyond the preparation phase and were limited to discussions about carrying out an attack in a public place where 10 to 20 people could be present.
As Europe enters the festive season, concerns over a Magdeburg-style attack are resurfacing. Last week, German police foiled a planned assault in Lower Bavaria, where five men allegedly intended to ram a vehicle into a crowd at a Christmas market in an undisclosed town. In response, authorities across Europe have implemented additional security measures at Christmas markets, including reinforced barriers and security checkpoints.