Polish police detain man over alleged plot against Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz

Detention in Lower Silesia

Polish authorities detained a man suspected of threatening to attack Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Interior minister Marcin Kierwiński announced the arrest on Sunday, 11 October, saying it took place in Lower Silesia. Radio Zet reported that the man was detained on Sunday evening, while Polsat News reporting says Sunday afternoon. He spent the night in a police holding cell in Wrocław, and on Monday, 12 October, he was being transported to Warsaw, a move that required a doctor's approval. Kierwiński said the man is about 60 years old, whereas Polsat News reporting puts his age at 66, and the sources do not resolve the discrepancy. The sources describe him only as a suspect.

The tip and the suspect's profile

Kierwiński said the State Protection Service (SOP) received information about a planned attack through one of its informants, and that the services then traced the man through a detailed analysis of content posted online. His contacts, internet activity and possible motives are still being examined, and Kierwiński declined to say whether the man is politically motivated. He described the suspect as someone very active in extremist groups who uses hateful language and calls for violence in public life.

The person who informed us provided exact information about who wanted to carry out such a vile act.

TVN24 said it had obtained the content of the SOP notification. According to TVN24, the informant had made contact through social media with a radical organisation while looking for people willing to carry out an attack with a firearm, and said he had met a man and discussed weapons, hatred of the government and a planned mass killing. Polsat News reported that the group allegedly heard its members planning an attack on Tusk and Kosiniak-Kamysz. Polish law enforcement has not commented on these reports.

Prosecutors and next steps

Piotr Antoni Skiba, spokesman for the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office, told Fakt that the suspect would be taken to prosecutors on Tuesday, 13 October. Prosecutors had not yet received the case files, which were also due on Tuesday. A press conference on the case was planned for the same day, when details of the alleged plot are to be presented. According to Gazeta Wrocławska, investigators are securing the suspect's apartment and the materials inside it, including computers and other electronic devices.

Political reactions

Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesman for the minister-coordinator of the special services, called the case "extremely serious" and said threats against Poland and its citizens, including its top officials, keep arriving at the services month after month and year after year. The Interior Ministry said there is a high probability that these threats could be carried out. Tusk posted a brief message on X thanking the police for their quick and decisive action. Former president Andrzej Duda said the publicity around the case could be an attempt by Tusk to divert attention from other problems, and wPolityce.pl, a right-leaning outlet, called the alert a cover operation. The Czech Republic has offered to help with the investigation.

Separately, at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, 12 October, Tusk said Europe and NATO will not be intimidated by Russia and that he would urge European partners to consider tougher sanctions.

Russia is not interested in a ceasefire, deescalation or peace. It is interested only in dominating.